


Surprisingly Return

by Covenyt2950



Category: Daybreak (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Eli Cardashyan, Bisexual Josh Wheeler, Blood and Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Venom (Movie 2018), M/M, Minor Injuries, Misunderstandings, Multi, Possessive Behavior, Protection, Serious Injuries, mental bond
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:15:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 56,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21646636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Covenyt2950/pseuds/Covenyt2950
Summary: After Sam declared herself the new queen, she ordered the jocks to lock Josh in the school. Eli was stabbed and killed sometime ago, wasn't he? When he wakes up in the middle of the park alone and with blood on his hands, there is one thing in his mind: Josh.
Relationships: Eli Cardashyan & Josh Wheeler, Eli Cardashyan & Wesley Fists & Angelica Green & Josh Wheeler, Eli Cardashyan/Josh Wheeler
Comments: 133
Kudos: 176





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So this is my first fanfic in this fandom and I would like you to tell in the comments what do you think of each chapter, can be doubts, compliments or just your opinion but please, no hate.
> 
> The first chapter was wrote by angelicasdaybreak and the second for me. Hope you like it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 1

Josh was astonished at the sight of the other kids kneeling down to who he thought was the love of his life. Sam Dean. The beautiful girl that he’d been searching for for six months was now supposedly bad? He wasn’t sure what to do. He stared at Sam. 

Sam simply gestured with her head to the others, wanting the daybreakers to bow down to her. And when they didn’t do so, Sam had one of the jocks forcefully grab Josh and bring him up to her throne. Angelica cried out in protest, moving forward to protect him. But Wesley held her back. 

They watched as Josh was put in chains, and forced down onto his knees. “Sam, please.” Josh pleaded. “You don’t have to do this.” 

Sam didn’t want to listen and gestured to the jock behind Josh. They hit Josh across the head and his eyes rolled back as he went unconscious.

Angelica had tears running down her face. The jocks stood around the vehicle, and all of the daybreakers backed away. They knew that they wouldn’t be able to fight all of those jocks off, and they didn’t really wanna leave Josh but they didn’t think they really had a choice. 

They ran away, and Mona looked at Sam. “What do we do with Josh?” 

“We’ll take him with us.”

* * *

Josh woke up at the school, disoriented and dizzy. He felt achy and really cold. After a few seconds, he tried to move and then realized he couldn’t. He was tied up. And when his vision cleared, he saw some jocks in front of him. He blinked slowly. 

One of the boys chuckled. “Look who’s up.” 

“Little old Josh Wheeler.” Another one snickered. 

They continued to tease and hit him, leaving some bruises and a nasty black eye, until a door opened behind them. A frown formed on the boy’s faces as they saw how angry Sam looked. “Did I say you could touch him? Get out.” She said.

The boys scrambled out of the room. When they were gone, Josh smiled. He thought that she really cared about him, and that maybe she’d put up a front and was now gonna drop the act and talk to him and tell him the truth. But it was not to be. “Sam...” He says. 

Sam kneels down to him. “Do not talk to me. I get to speak"

When Josh didn’t say anything, she simply continued with what she was saying. She explained her thoughts, and her thinking with why she’d brought Josh there. She even said what she planned on doing with him. But Josh’s ears began to ring and his vision blurred. He was losing consciousness. But he didn’t have time to rest. For he was yanked onto his feet quickly by Sam and brought outside. 

Josh squinted at the sun, the heat of it making him want to be sick. He was led to where her throne was and thrown down. He was chained up by a jock, with a collar on his neck. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw all of the jocks playing a very competitive, and violent, game of football. He buried his face in his hands and began to sob. He didn’t think this was how it was gonna go. 

He’d finally found Sam, and he’d been so happy to finally see her again. Stupid. She didn't need him, she never did doesn't matter if he loved here. He messed up. And now that he’d seen her true nature, he didn’t know how to feel or what to do. He felt... numb. Truly numb. He felt Sam grab his shoulder forcefully. “Stop crying. I kept you alive, didn’t I?” 

Josh nods slightly and decides to look around and examine the area instead, looking for ways to escape. And as he looked by the American Ninja Idol Stage, he saw a shadow. He could’ve sworn it looked like Eli. But he thought that he was dead. The figure was too far away for him to tell, and he was so weak and his vision was so blurry. 

Josh starts to black out. He doesn’t even hear Sam screaming at him. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Taking a deep breath for air, he widened his eyes and coughed to try to get the blood out of his throat, choking him. Eli sat up and spat out the last traces of blood that remained in his mouth, his heartbeat racing as he looked around trying to understand what had happened. Shit, he felt like a truck had crushed him.

He tried to remember why he still was on this fucking park, there was blood coming out of his mouth and he was feeling like he hasn't eating for days, but his last memory had been of him and Josh walking around here.

**Food. Eat him.**

What? No, Josh wasn't food, he could be cute in that puppy way but certainly not delicious like pizza, so why had he thought about eating him? Speaking of the idiot, had he left Eli here and gone after Sam and his precious cards? No, that didn't make sense, he needed Eli's costume to get in there and looking down, he realized he was still using it despite how sticky the fantasy was inside. 

Placing his hand on the underside of the costume where his belly was, Eli looked down at his fingers and realized that something red covered them. Blood. Fuck, he had more blood on his costume than on his cousin Lisa's first menstrual pad, but he wasn't hurt and there was no one around him. And with the amount of blood on his clothes, it was fucking bullshit that a horde of ghoulies had no longer devoured him. He was too handsome to die like that. That was when something came to mind.

_This blood is gonna get the ghoulies fucking fast_

Wait, that was his voice. What if this blood was from Josh and he was talking about it? Maybe whatever had happened during the fucking hole in his memory was that Josh had been injured. Shit, he thought as he got up and walked to his bike, which luckily was still in the same place as before, - what was also weird, but Eli was too happy to see it to care about it - riding on the rump and turning it on.

Josh couldn't die now. Not when he was starting to like the naive idiot, he'd even considered letting him go back to the mall, obviously as long as Eli owned it and he followed his orders. 

**Our food?**

This time this thought came as a voice, but Eli wasn't going to eat Josh even though the prospect looked strangely good. The moments he had spent with him a few hours earlier had been the best since the adult's shit hit the fan and the apocalypse knocked on his door. Eli for the first time didn't feel lonely, - he loved Mavis but she still was a mannequin - he felt like Josh could be the brother he never had. So maybe the hunger that was starting to hammer in his head and digging a hole in his stomach was fucking with his mind.

But that didn't mean he didn't like the idea of owning Josh either. After all, Josh and the losers were living in his mall so technically he owned them. Shit, what he wanted to fuck around, he didn't care about the others, if Josh wasn't alive and with his precious cards he would kick those losers out of his mall faster that people buying during the Black Friday. Also, he wouldn't admit that maybe he was worried more about the idiot than his cards, after all no one ever said that Eli fucking Cardashyan was honest to anyone, even to himself.

Putting on the costume mask and getting ready, Eli drove toward the mall. As he passed the streets, he wondered how empty it were even though his blood must have already attracted at least one ghoulie, but he wasn't the type who refused to abuse luck so he just kept going his way. Parking his motorcycle near the back entrance and placing a tarp over it, Eli entered the elevator that started up to the first floor, closing his eyes and leaning his back against the metal wall as he remembered how Josh thought he could keep up him away from his own mall. Dumbass puppy. As if Eli wasn't the king of this fucking shit and didn't know what was his. 

Laughing at the memory that reminded him of a jealous older brother, he heard the elevator stop and opened his eyes, looking straight at the doors and expecting more than he would like to see Josh with his stupid sword pretending to be the hero and not the dick he was - okay, stop fucking around, maybe he wasn't a real asshole like Eli, but he was still a low level one - but all that received him was the sight of Wesley pointing his sword at him with his sociopathic boyfriend by his side grunting like a dog. Just behind him was Angelica with her flamethrower in her hands like a little arsonist and beside her the witch with a crazier than usual look, looking like his mother when she saw him buying unnecessary things.

**Fooodd! Now!**

"What's up, losers" he smiled and ignored the scream, waving at them when instead he should have taken a picture of the dumbass faces they had at that time. 

"Eli?" they all asked at the same time, looking like the free musicals crap that he was forced to go as a kid because his parents couldn't afford to go to the movies.

"What? Happy to see me, suckers? Looks like you saw a fucking ghost" he teased as he placed his finger on the tip of Wesley's sword and lowered it without resistance. "I see Josh stopped being an asshole and let you back, where's him?" he questioned, snorting when they didn't answer.

"Has a mutant cat got your tongue? He really thought that just because I disappeared for a few hours he runs this shit?! Dick! He'd better have my fucking cards or I'll kick your motherfuckes ass out of this mall" Eli pointed and glared at them, passing through them without looking back and opening the door to the inside.

His mall looked the same, he thought as he took a deep breath and spread his arms, no smell of old shit or rot anywhere and just the smell of wealth and money welcoming him. The sweet wind of the air conditioner and the sight of the various stores that now belonged to him brought the familiarity of what had been his home for six months. Fuck, the Sultan was back to his kingdom.

"Josh!! Where the fuck are you?" he put his hands around his mouth and shouted, walking through the mall meanwhile, "C'mon don't be a pussy! If you show up I promise I won't kick you out and let these losers live here. Okay, maybe if you don't have my cards intact any of this shit will happen but that doesn't matter right now" he said the last part lower as he passed the food court, after all Josh didn't need to hear that.

"Josh!!!" he shouted for the last time "What the hell, where's that idiot? Shit" he cursed because maybe he was starting to get worried. Not that anyone could judge him, a day ago Josh was acting like fucking cops when they see blacks or immigrant people the moment he set his feet here, so why the fuck hadn't he come after him the moment he breathed the same air as him?

"Elii!" he heard his name being called and stopped walking, turning to see Wes coming toward him with the main group of losers right behind him.

"Wes, my favorite samurai" Eli started as he put his left hand on his shoulder, ignoring the killer look that Turbo gave him and paying more attention to the fact that Wesley didn't see to care about the blood on his hand "Look, you'll find this very funny but I'm not here to fight with you ... at least not right now. All I want is my cards and your dear friend Josh is with them, so I just need to find him so I can fulfill our deal" he talked, all the time smiling.

"Sooo, where is he?" he asked for the last time, his patience becoming strangely short and an suddenly irritation hitting him. Not that he was a very patient guy, but with the financial conditions he used to have he had gotten better at it. Luckily, Wes said something even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"He is with Sam" Wesley spoke as if that were obvious as his mind tried to process the fact that Josh wasn't here, which might have increased his irritation, "What?? Don't tell me that idiot left me in the middle of that fucking park, completely drenched in blood and in danger of being captured, or worse, devoured by ghoulies to be with his little girlfriend?!! This delicious body is a dish full for those brainless creatures!!" Eli said louder than he wanted to, showing his hands and gesturing to his body as he spoke.

"No, you asshole! The bitch became the new queen of the jocks and kidnapped Josh while you were supposedly dead" the voice that scolded him was from Angelica who looked very angry as Eli's brain took a few seconds to fully understand what she said.

"What do you mean Sam kidnapped Josh? I thought they were lovebirds. And what do you mean, supposedly dead, shorty? I disappear for a few hours and everything goes to hell?!" he said, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on.

"Eli, what do you mean, hours? It's been three days since anyone saw you so we all thought you were dead" Wes answered him and this time it was his turn to put his hand on Eli's shoulder, who said the first things that came to mind "No, man that makes no sense. I was on a mission with Josh to rescue Sam and take my cards, and suddenly I don't remember anything else. And what about Birom? He rules the school and the jocks so how the hell is Sam the new queen?" 

"The principal blew up the school and arrested everyone he intended to eat. After that he commanded the jocks to try to destroy Glendale but we stopped them along with Josh and Sam" he explained but soon after was interrupted by Angelica.

"Yeah, we get to save everyone and everything was fine for the first time since this shit happened but then that bitch decided she was the new leader… and Josh, that idiot with hero complex tried to ask her to stop but she chained and knocked him down. We had no choice but to run away" she finished, clenching her hands into fists and with unshed tears in her eyes, and honestly Eli didn't know if they were tears of sadness or anger, maybe both.

Taking Wesley's hand off his shoulder, Eli turned and ignored the others behind him, placing his hands on his eyes and closing them as he tried to concentrate. 

Okay, everything was fucked up but he had to think. If the principal exploded the school it meant that probably his cards too but suddenly that didn't seem to matter so much now, and they sure were irreplaceable but so was Josh. He could just leave Josh with the girl he did everything he could to stay and even though she now acted as a dictator, it was all his fault. He could fool the losers and get them out of here, which would mean he'd have the whole mall to himself again and go back to his previous life, with Mavis and everything he could want... but a friend.

Maybe he could just get another friend, but that meant he would have to find someone who knew him, endured his unique personality, and at least liked him like Josh, which already drastically reduced his options. Shit, he couldn't do that. He didn't need Josh, he didn't need anyone but he wanted him here, with him. Letting out a breath and lifting his head, Eli took his hands from his eyes and looked at them, 

"And what are you suckers still doing here? I thought you cared about your dear friend Josh but I don't see any of you going after him. We all know the idiot won't save himself" he said as he smiled and put his hands on his hips, shaking his head when Wesley answered, "Obviously we want to go after him but Sam has an army now, Eli. We can't go there without a good plan" 

"You may not have a good plan but I have one" he spoke and crossed his arms as he approached them, his gaze almost predatory even if he didn't realize it "But for this work, you will have to follow my lead. And... will have a price" 

"Are you insane, your fucking prick?!! I'll show you how the fuck I'm going to follow you!" Angelica screamed and would have jumped at him if the witch hadn't wrapped her arms around her torso pulling her against her chest.

"Eli, you can't ask this from us, you know that!" Wesley said as Turbo growled.

"Okay, okay" he raised his hands in surrender which seemed to calm them but Eli could still see the tension exhaling even when they breathed "So since you don't want my help and you sure have a better plan, I'm going to sit in my massage chair, relax and listen to a good rap while I have a snack" he bluffed, rubbing his palms and shrugging.

"Good luck, losers. 'Cause you will fucking need it" he waved and laughed, turning and taking some steps until he heard what he wanted.

"Wait!" Wesley's voice echoed through the mall as turned back, looking at them "We will do that".

"Wes! We can't trust this, asshole. He will betray us as soon as he gets the chance!" Angelica screamed as she glared at Eli, looking more like the little psycho he always knew she was. 

But Wesley didn't seem to mind, leaning on one knee and placing a hand on her shoulder, "We have no option. Sam has been with Josh since yesterday and we don't even know how to get close to her, much less rescue him. I know we can't trust him but it's the only way if we want Josh back" this seemed to convince her because she no longer protested when Wes got up and headed toward Eli, stopping in front of him,

"What is your plan?" he asked before crossing his arms.

"What? I guess I didn't hear the part where you say that you and the others loser will be my bitches" he smiled sarcastically and raised an eyebrow, not doubting for a second that he wouldn't say what Eli wanted.

"Really, Eli?" Wesley snorted in discontent but continued anyway "We'll follow you if you really have a plan that brings Josh back, and after, our deal is ended. Happy?"

"Of course I have a plan, my dear Wes" he laughed and spread his arms as he spoke "In fact, it's a very simple one. Me, you and the big guy here" he patted the Turbo's chest "will go to school and give Sam exactly what she wants in exchange for her giving Josh back to us"

"And what would that be, Eli?" Wes asked and he was happy to answer. The strategy Josh used against him was exactly what would save him. Life was a fucking ironic bitch. "What all those who rule want…" he paused, approaching and whispering beside Wesley's ear,

"More power"

And maybe for a mere second his vision had turned red and when he looked over the former jock's shoulder he saw the almost frightened look the witch gave him. But right now he was too ecstatic with a feeling he didn't recognize to care. His plan was underway and no one but him knew what lay ahead to any of them.

* * *

**Food!**

**Food!!**

**Food! Food! Food!**

**FOOD!!!!**

Shut up, shit. He mentally shouted back at the words that sounded like the damn beat of loud music his neighbor used to play at dawn. Fucking dick, glad he was dead. 

Eli tried to think straight as he slammed the bathroom door behind him, trying in vain to end the hunger that was consuming him. He had eaten every kind of food he had here, even what one day was salad, but nothing looked the same. Everything seemed to taste like moldy shit. And the worst was that only one thing seemed delicious to him:people. As they prepared for the mission, Eli put his plan into action but every moment he saw someone's throat he looked like a fucking drunk in abstinence. Thirsty for it. Shit, he needed to get his shit together.

As soon as he got to the sink, he turned on the tap and wet his face, immediately throwing up everything in his stomach. Fuck, now he looked like his cousin Nina. Turning off the tap and taking a deep breath, he squeezed the edges of the sink until his knuckles turned white, staring at the shit he'd just thrown. 

**This is not food, Eli.**

**We need real food**.

"Who the fuck are we?" he asked irritably, looking at his reflection in the mirror and startling when he saw his eyes turn black and his teeth sharpened, black veins pulsing beneath his skin from his arms to his neck. "What the fuck?"

**We are you. We became you when you bled to death in that park, choking in your own blood.**

"What? What the fuck are you talking about, I didn't die. I'm not a fucking ghost, I'm Eli fucking Cardashyan" he pointed a finger at his mirror image, feeling ridiculous for talking to his reflection. All that was missing in his life was gone crazy.

**Hahaha! Since you don't believe me maybe I should show you, Eli. But don't say I didn't try the easy way.**

The voice gave a cold laugh just before Eli fell to the floor on his back, the sensation of choking on something he couldn't take from his throat taking over him, like drowning. But that wasn't bad enough, because soon a sharp twinge of pain in his abdomen seemed to come out of nowhere, as if he had been in shock before, causing him to put his hand to try to press what appeared to be an open wound, the pain getting even worse.

With that, he vividly felt the despair and the fear of death falling like a bucket of cold water in his mind and he suddenly remembered. _The memory of putting Josh in the cage and smiling at him as he said that if he we would betray him he would know. From the moment he prepared to leave the park but soon after was attacked and stabbed, fighting for his life on Josh's lap who looked so scared when he could only make a joke before life drained from his body. The last thing he heard being the desperation in Josh's voice as he begged him to wake up._

Eli coughed with unshed tears in his eyes as his mind came back to reality and he looked at the ceiling of the bathroom with one hand on his belly and the other on his neck, trying to organize his thoughts. He was fucking dead. He felt the fucking blood come out of the wound at the same time it choked him, his body dying in Josh's arms. But if he died then why was he alive? What was he?

**It doesn't matter now, you are we! And we need to eat, we need blood and Josh is the perfect target. Tall and delicious, this will satisfy us.**

"No! You fucking prick" He said more tired than angry as he sat and leaned his head against the wall by the sink, looking up. "I won't eat Josh. I don't have a shit brain like those fucking ghoulies. I'm human… obviously above average but still human" 

**No, we are neither ghoulies nor humans. We are more than that, Eli. Now... you are more than that.**

The voice hissed and maybe that should have made Eli panic just like any sane, normal and boring person, but no one ever said he was any of those things. Getting up and looking in the mirror again, this time Eli didn't back down when his appearance changed. "What do you mean more than that?"

**You can have everything, Eli. Everything you ever wanted and couldn't have, and when you finally had it, some idiots just took it from you. But if you accept what you are, that side of you and the hunger that comes with it, no one else will take anything from you. You will have more power than any of them have right now. You will be the fucking king of this city. Like you always wanted…**

Those words interested Eli more that it should but he honestly didn't give a shit. What were the old human right and ridiculous conceptions after the apocalypse to someone that wasn't human anymore? He could eat animals most of the time and people when it was needed if that guaranteed him everything he ever asked and begged for. A fair life for someone like him. But still have something that he wanted.

"Okay, I accept it I will eat what we need but only with two conditions" he said and smiled as he turned back to being handsome as before.

**What? Just say it.**

"First, you won't take over this wonderful body anytime you want and do shits that you know I won't like. Besides we can be one but I'm the fucking boss when it comes to my body, okay?" when the voice didn't answer, Eli considered it a yes and continued,

"And second, I decide who we eat or not and Josh… is off limits. Ever" he said while looking into his own eyes, his voice firm and no longer playful.

**Okay, I get it, pussy. But why don't you want to eat the idiot? After all, it was he who invaded what was yours and took it from you. He is the cause of all your problems.**

It made Eli laugh and shrug "This is none of your fucking business. It's my shit to lead"

**No, Eli, I believe you didn't understand. I know what you are going to do after "rescuing" Josh. I know your plan and while you may be the smart one, your power comes from me.**

He lickimed his lips and decided there would be no problem with him answering that. There was no one there, and whatever was inside him and changed what he was wouldn't tell anyone "Because he is my friend. And if you know me so well you should know that he's the only one I've ever had, that what I've always wanted besides power was this, someone who was my real friend. And I don't eat or hurt what belongs to me so that goes for you too" he explained and closed his eyes, expecting that the voice would mock him for it but the next words spoken surprised him,

**Okay, if he as well as the mall belongs to us then I don't care. As long as we can have blood in our mouth soon.**

With his lips in a way that might even seem manic, Eli opened his eyes, his next steps already in his mind when he spoke to his reflexion before leaving the bathroom.

"We don't need to worry. Sam will need to be convinced and that will include what you want" and maybe the idea of this could have made Eli laugh.

* * *

Walking through the sections of his mall, Eli wore a dark blue shirt, a black jacket over top and black jeans, and sneakers that he could never buy before, as well as the rest of his clothes. But according to all the good movies he watched, style was important during negotiations, and he wouldn't ignore that. He was coming from a conversation with KJ and the other stragglers that Josh had tried so hard to protect. At least now they would be useful for something besides fucking with his stuff. 

Heading toward the main exit, he soon saw Wesley holding his crazy boyfriend's face, with Angelica and the witch seeming to be arguing right behind them. "Oww! Did you lovebirds not have time to fuck before you came here?" he teased as Turbo growled and Wes rolled his eyes, ignoring him when Angelica answering for him. "Oh shut up, asshole! You're here to rescue Josh not to talk shit!" 

"Well, you're lucky I'm willing to help you even after you act like fucking plagues and invade what's mine. So maybe you should treat me better, shorty" he said, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms. His eyes widening when Angelica smiled and pointed at him what appeared to be a mini flamethrower, all indicating that she was going to make him a pile of ashes until Wes lowered her arm, an expression of pure disappointment on her face as she put the object in her bag. Fucking little psycho.

"Okay, Eli, that's enough. We have to go if we want to get there before it gets dark" the fake samurai said already opening the door with Turbo by his side but Eli still had something to work out "Wes, Wes, Wes, Wes" he said as he gestured for him to come to him,

"I think you losers forgot that I said there would be a price for my help. And I'd like to charge it now" he explained and Wesley sighed deeply but went to him.

"I want two thirds of my mall. Of course I could demand all that is mine but I will have mercy on you. So, I stay in my part and all of you in yours" he explained and shrugged, Wesley's eyes showing his exasperation as he looked to Angelica, seeming to come to a silent deal when he faced Eli.

"Okay, so we'll be in the section where we put Josh's stuff and you won't bother us, so we won't have to see your face for a long time. Deal?" he challenged more than asked, as if daring him to demand anything more. But otherside, he should know that Eli was the fucking Sultan of this place who knew he could push some more, after all he was enjoying being the one to play with Wesley this time.

"Of course, my dear Wes. But you see, unfortunately, and because you fucking fooled me last time…" he laughed sarcastically and turned to Angelica whispering "Yeah, karma is a bitch, not my cousin in that case" he continued this time to Wesley,

"I don't trust you. I wouldn't trust you not to kill me at night much less to fulfill your part of that shit" 

"The feeling is mutual" Angelica cut him off with a fake smile but he just ignored her, stopping in front of Wesley and crossing his arms "So the only way I can make sure I have what I want after that, is by having what you have now. I want the control of the gates. And I want it now or I'm out" he said, pointing behind him to emphasize what he meant. 

Eli watched with pleasure the different emotions that progressively passed over the face of his favorite samurai. Incredulity, anger, mistrust, doubt and worry that was probably for Josh. But in the end, when their gaze locked at that moment, they both knew the concern would win.

Taking the gates' control out of his armor, Wesley lifted his arm and stood very close to Eli looking at his eyes with what was probably the most serious look he had ever seen in him "If I even suspect you're not on our side, if you even dare to think about betraying us for a second and putting Josh's life on the line, I'll forget any vow I have ever made. I'll finish you, Eli, completely. You understood?" he whispered as Eli concentrated on not letting himself tear his throat.

**Let's eat him. He isn't your friend.**

_Yeah, but he's Josh's fucking best friend,_ he answered mentally and gave the most real smile he could as he took the control and stuffed it in a pocket inside his jacket "Don't stress for me, Wes-Wes. I'll fulfill my part of the deal and help you save Josh, and after that I will no longer be forced to live with you suckers. Everybody wins" He shrugged and put on his sunglasses. Passing them and opening the door before shouting "C'mon motherfuckes! We have a negotiation to attend" 

  
  


They were approaching the perimeter of the school, Eli riding his motorcycle to the trees near the main building while Turbo and Wesley would go to the back of the stands where the jocks’ vehicles were. By the time Eli pulled over his motorcycle and took off his glasses, he knew it was his fucking time to prove why he had managed to keep a mall for himself for six months and ward off any stragglers away. Like his cousin Jay did to all the girls when he tried to flirt with them.

He began walking through the field, knowing that the American Ninja Idol stage and the fact that the sky was already dark would hide his presence until he was where he wanted to, soon seeing from afar how distracted the jocks looked with some playing while others watched a violent football game that was really predictable of them. Sam was smart, keeping the brainless idiots happy would only increase their loyalty to her.

Stepping out from behind the structure of the American Ninja Idol while feeling his vision turn red for a few seconds, Eli walked quietly (and being honest, he was fucking badass doing that) until he was standing in the middle of the football field with his hands in his pockets, several things happening at once. 

The players immediately stopped what they were doing, probably too surprised that he dared to stay in the middle of their game to attack him. Good for them if they didn't want to have their ass kicked. Sam looked completely shocked but it was short lived as she hid it very well when she faced Eli with a cold look while Mona stepped at her side protectively. And finally, Eli saw Josh. He looked like shit, even more than usual.

Maybe because Eli's vision seemed to have gotten better, he could see the moment Josh fainted and Sam shouted for him to wake up, the poor idiot had chains restraining him and a collar around his neck connected to Sam's throne. His face was covered with bruises, and even from that distance, Eli could smell the blood coming from the back of his neck from what he thought was a concussion. What? When he was bored he learned a lot of important shit.

Every aspect of that sight made Eli's blood boil, and that feeling he couldn't identify came back. But now he had no time to waste, he had a trade to make. It rimmed. "Sam Dean. Girl, looks like you're better than ever" he smiled and crossed his arms.

"Just being the leader they need, and that Josh could never be" she spoke and looked at her ex before facing Eli again "But I thought you were dead, Eli Cardashyan" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know what life is like now, I could be dead or not depending on the shit you heard" he laughed and spread his arms, showing that there was no injury. That shit of being better was so fucking useful "So who told you a lie like that?

"Josh. I heard him talking to himself about someone named Eli having died in his arms. Saying that was all his fault and honestly, he looked very bad for your death. But you seem to have fooled him, Eli" she said the last part with a mixture of admiration and satisfaction, which only made Eli angry but at the same time a sense of recognition appear in his mind. She really was a cold queen, doing what she needed to be in her position. If he didn't like Josh so much, maybe they could have been allies.

"Perhaps. But that's not important now, is it? After all, you've become the fucking queen of the sport tribe but we both know that's not enough for you. Not when you could rule our entire dear city of Glendale. So maybe, I could help you with that shit" he said as Sam leaned against her throne, his expression thoughtful as she gave a small smile.

"Obviously not, but what could you do to help me? Or rather, how would you be helpful when you don't even have your mall anymore?" she teased and Eli started to laugh. He already expected that.

"Yeah, that's funny, but maybe you shouldn't believe in rumors coming from losers. I have my mall back and not only that, but I'm also the only person who holds the key for you to dominate the other tribes without even striving for it" Eli watched Sam's expression change from mocking to interested.

"Information, baby. When you have six long months, unbearable boredom and a fucking genius brain like mine, you discover a lot of interesting things about people. Like, the weaknesses and secrets of all the tribes" he said, shrugging and hoping that by now Wes and his crazy dog should have broken the jock vehicles.

"And what do you want in return? We both also know that you're not the type to give away information for free" she rested her chin on the hand and waited for an answer.

"Obviously yes, I want something in return. I want Josh" he said and pointed to the fallen body beside the throne, Sam's expression showing how confused she looked "What?"

"You heard me, Sammy. In exchange for giving you all the important shit from all the tribes, all I want is Josh and a promise that you'll leave us alone. Simple as that and then you'll really be a real queen… but if you don't give me him, you know, some bad things can happen" the smile left his face at that moment and Eli felt the tension between the players, Mona and Sam increase. As expected of them, no one who just came out of shit likes to be threatened.

"So, what if I don't want to? Bad things, Eli?" she smiled coldly and gestured for Mona to come over, who was quiet and staring at Eli as if she knew something was wrong "Mona, I bet if I left him with you for a while, this idiot would say all we need without having to make a deal, right?"

"I'd give him the treatment of a piece of shit. So yes, he would surely find a way to be useful or else I'd throw him with the ghoulies to them split him in half" she said angrily and signaled to the jocks, who tore down the wooden walls surrounding the ghoulies below the American Ninja Idol stage. The stupid creatures immediately huddled in the fence, desperate for any piece of meat.

"Yeah, I'm sure this would be a very interesting experience, Mona" he said and winked at her, who rolled her eyes "But since you refuse to make a deal, Sam, I think I'll have to kill each one of you until I get to Josh" he threatened darkly, feeling anticipation and hunger crawling beneath his skin what made him look at the ground to stop it, which only got worse when everyone started laughing.

He heard the echo of the players, the audience, and Sam's laughter across the field, the noise turning deaf as all he could hear was the roar of their blood circulating in the veins. The idiots were so busy laughing that they also barely noticed the ghoulies retreating to the other side of the fence and crouching as his eyes turned black and Eli felt his vision turn red and something take control of his mind. 

**My turn!**

He could no longer hold it back. He was no longer Eli, and the only thing that he could think was flesh and blood.

"Knock him down" he vaguely heard Sam's voice ordering the jocks, all going in slow motion as one of the pieces of shit gripped his shoulder. 

At that moment, Eli lifted his head and gripped the asshole's hand tightly enough to break it and make him scream as he writhed against his grasp, a manic smile and sharp teeth in his mouth as he turned the jock's neck and bit his throat in the jugular. Tearing his skin and muscles as blood gushed into Eli's mouth and down his throat, making it easily one of the best sensations of his life to devour more and more pieces of flesh and feel life come out of the body beneath him.

But the moment the jock died, it tasted like rotten, dried food. It was no longer worth it. Immediately he dropped the body like trash and looked ahead, feeling the scent of fear spreading throughout the area and making the thrill of the hunt even greater, but the irritation from somewhere above spoiling it. He saw through the red, Sam screaming desperately for the sacks of flesh around him to do something and attack him, and the poor idiot who had a metal baseball bat in his hand stepped forward and used it to hit his head with a force that would kill him before. But not now.

Now, it only made him turn his face and his amusement increased when he looked into the jock's eyes and saw the terror in them as he futilely tried to hit his head again, which didn't happen because Eli gripped the object with his left hand and easily crumpled the metal, tossing it aside and taking a few steps forward. When his prey tried to pull away, his hand went straight to his neck and squeezed his windpipe, a small laugh coming out of his mouth as he watched him struggle to breathe, using his strength to throw the jock to the floor and jump on him, biting and devouring pieces of his shoulder as he drank the blood until life left that body as well. Useless.

He analyzed the preys around him, choosing the one that seemed larger and would have more to eat this time but when he was about to approach to devour it, he heard a scream. "Eliiii! Get away from them" Mona's voice came into his ears and her shitty words made him growl, shouting back without even bothering to look at her "You don't rule me. I offered a fucking deal and you chose to fuck with me. Now, I will love to devour each of you until I get what I want"

Eli laughed codly and was about to eat his next meal when he heard Sam say "So take him!" she slammed her fist into the throne's arm, her voice steady but her tone apprehensive as he perceived that she was hiding her fear behind anger. It pleased him, to know that he had left someone like her, that was a little higher in Eli's conception of power, in that way. So this words was enough to make him turn and look at her but his focus be on what she was offering him. In the human lying on the floor next to her.

"What did you say?" he asked and sneered as he sucked the blood on his fingers and walked to the stands, the sacks of flesh moving as far away from him as possible and clearing the way for him to pass. 

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and tilted his head, waiting for an answer, which to the damn luck of all humans here, Sam gave him "I said you can take him. No one will stop you" she explained and he climbed the steps to the top, taking a white handkerchief from his pocket to wipe some of the blood on his mouth and hands while Mona moved to stand protectively in front of Sam. As if that would stop him if he decided to kill her. _Humans,_ he thought and rolled his eyes.

Ignoring everyone around him, he walked over to Josh and crouched beside him, listening to his heartbeat and the roar of his blood rushing through his veins and out the wound behind his head. He would surely be a delicious meal but unfortunately this one he couldn't eat, Eli was coming back.

Feeling like himself again, Eli didn't give a fuck to the fact that he was covered in blood or that he had just eaten human flesh, _flexible morals_. He just analyzed Josh's bruises and turned his head to check the concussion, being kinder than anyone who became what he was now should be possible when he bended the steel from the restraints and pulled them out of Josh's arms, tearing off the collar too since this was probably one of the things that annoyed him most in his friend's current view. Josh belonged to Eli as well as the mall, no one was allowed to do that to him just as no one could destroy his mall.

Slipping one arm behind his back and the other behind Josh's knees, he easily lifted and settled him in his arms, because of his height, his forehead resting on the back of Eli's neck and his arms stopping on his chest. Rising, Eli turned his back on Sam and was about to start down when he heard her voice "What are you?" she questioned and he didn't even bother to look at her when he answered.

"I'm Eli fucking Cardashyan, Sammy, but better than ever" he walked down the stairs and sincerely loved to see the effect his gaze had on the same idiots who fucked with him and his things before, shitting their pants in sheer terror. How fucking awesome it was to have power.

As he passed the American Ninja Idol stage and distanced himself from the structure, the ghoulies resumed acting as themselves and writhed over the fence desperately to escape and eat the bodies of the two dead jocks as Eli walked toward his motorcycle and their meeting point where the fake samurai and his dog should be waiting for him. But as he walked, Eli noticed Josh struggle to wake up and fidget in his arms, probably thinking that he was a fucking teddy bear because he soon felt long arms wrapping around his neck as his friend settled into his chest, what could have made Eli smile. But when he smelled the effects of the concussion on Josh's body and brain, Eli moved faster in the moment that his friend passed out again.

Approaching the tree on which his motorcycle was leaning, he saw Wesley and Turbo step out of the shadows and run toward him, Wes immediately hovering over Josh as soon as he stopped. "Why are you soaked with fucking blood, man?" he looked a little scared but certainly more concerned about Josh. 

"It's not mine, loser" that was the only thing he could say, after all, he didn't want Wesley to freak out and it wasn't as if he could just say something like this to him, _Hey, I just devoured a few pieces of two people and drank their blood, what was one of the best experiences of my fucking life. Please don't lose your shit and try to kill me._

When he looked at him, he could see that these words wasn't enough for him and Wes wanted to ask more questions, but he seemed too worried to give a fuck about it so he got close to Eli to take his friend "Okay, whatever, we have to go. Let me carry him" but the moment he tried to touch Josh, Eli pulled away and soon saw Wesley's confused and angry look as he did so.

"So besides being an idiot, are you stupid too? He has a concussion, asshole, which means he has to get to the mall as soon as possible before the ghoulies come to devour his pretty little head and the only person who has a fucking motorcycle here is me. And I'm not lending it to you so I'm your best option to take Josh safely" he explained and tightened his arms around Josh, feeling Wesley's anger and how Turbo reacted to it starting to be nervous too but the smarter of the duo knew he was right. And he couldn't do shit about it.

"Fuck! Okay, Eli, but I think it's good for you that he's fucking the same as when he left here in the moment we get there to see him or I swear that I'll…" he threatened and pointed a finger at Eli, who interrupted him before he had to hear the same shit twice. "I know I know. You will finish me, completely. Now can I get on my bike and get your dear friend out of here or not?" he asked sarcastically and passed them without waiting for an answer. 

Sitting on his baby's rump, he manipulated Josh's limbs and sat him in front of him with his back against his chest, while his head hung back on his shoulder. Which could have been a mistake since the scent of blood was stronger but Eli knew he could control himself even being so tempted. 

**Unfair. He looks delicious.**

_Well, we don't always get everything we want. I've eaten two people to you so stop being greedy._

Turning on his motorcycle, Eli drove quickly to the mall, taking some minutes to get there and parking in front of one of the few entrances only he knew, but if Wesley and Turbo came running and managed to avoid the ghoulies, he wouldn't have too much time to realize his plan.

But now it was the time.

* * *

Eli walked through the mall's main revolving door and soon saw Angelica and Mr Crumble waiting for him, the dwarf having a murderer look on her face as she approached him already screaming "Where's Josh? Where's Wesley and Turbo and why is there blood on your clothes? This is their blood, right?! You betrayed them, asshole. I knew we couldn't trust you. I knew, you son of a bitch" she tried to hit him and then pick up her flamethrower but Eli grabbed her arm at the same time as Mr Crumble growled.

"Hey, calm down, dwarf. This blood is not theirs and as for Wesley and Turbo, they are coming with Josh and" he stopped and looked at his Patek wristwatch "will probably be here in ten minutes. So, relax girl!" he grinned and patted her head before releasing her arm and backing a little as Mr Crumble put her hands on her shoulder. 

"Do you really think I'm gonna believe in any fucking word you said? I'm not stupid, prick, so I think you better start telling the truth or I'll fucking fry you" she accused and threatened before shooting Eli with her murderous look again, and honestly it wasn't good that he was getting used to it. 

"Well, I'm sorry if you don't believe me but it's the truth! Josh has a concussion and to distract the ghoulies, I came first and diverted them from the path here. And why would I be a fucking bait? Because Wesley doesn't trust me with Josh and Turbo is a supportive boyfriend but not a patient one, so I came here risking my beautiful little neck to tell you to arrange the things to receive your idiot friend, so he won't get worse and you losers will accomplish your part of the deal" the lie came out of his mouth easily, and Eli certainly deserved a fucking Oscar for being able to keep his serious face while Angelica analyzed him with those judgmental eyes.

"You are a megalomaniacal liar, narcissistic and selfish dick that only cares about yourself! So, yes! It's hard to believe in anything that you just said" she cursed him and he rolled his eyes at that, of course he didn't expect her to trust him. 

"I can be everything you said and I'm proud of it, shorty, but if you don't believe my words, then let's wait for them" he shrugged and grinned, walking over to what was once a coffee shop chair and sitting on it before patting the seat next to him. 

"I have all the time in the world since this area is part of my section and to prove to you the shit of being a bait just to help your stupid friends, we'll wait for them here. Or are you afraid of being wrong?" he challenged as he leaned back in his chair, his lips curving upward as he caught a glimpse of Angelica sitting along with Mr Crumble in two seats a few feet away from him. "Okay, you degenerate motherfucker, but if this is a lie I'll turn you to ashes" she threatened one last time before turning to the witch and starting talking to her.

Crossing his arms, now all Eli had to do was wait and expect that the suckers for once would act like fucking normal people act. Soon, he would have Josh only for him and they wouldn't be able to stop him.

They spent a few minutes sitting and waiting, meanwhile the blood on Eli's clothes was becoming sticky and fucking gross. He had realized that the blood of the assholes he ate had a horrible smell, like rotten food, and all he wanted now was to take a shower and get it off his beautiful body. But why was it that when two of the best jocks in school had to run fast, they decided to act like fucking slugs?

Finally, he heard the mall alarm and smiled with it, watching Angelica and the witch run toward their section of the mall, where the alarm sound came from. He put his hands in his pocket, and began whistling as he walked and followed the losers, leaning back against the pillar of a store right on the boundary between his section and theirs, he waited to see what would happen the moment Angelica let Mr Crumble behind and standed in front of the store where they had installed Josh's room a few feet away from him, soon seeing Wesley and Turbo that he could smell besides the corner. 

They approached and Eli could hear everything from where he was, as if he were sitting in the front row of the theater watching the final stretch of a good movie "Where's Josh? Weren't you guys with him?" Angelica screamed more than asked, concerning clear in her voice as her words caused Wesley to frown.

"What the hell are you talking about, Angelica? No, Eli brought him here on his motorcycle. Is he not already with you?" he questioned as it was obvious he was trying to stay calm, running his hand over his hair in momentaneous confusion.

And it was at that moment when they looked at each other and turned to face Eli with anger shining in their eyes, that he saw that they had finally realized the trap they had fallen into. But it was too late because all he had to do as they ran toward him, was take the control of his pocket and push the button to finally divide his sections from theirs, waving and smiling as they slammed their bodies against the metal gate already closed.

"Eli! You liar son of a bitch, bastard motherfucker! I knew you were lying. We shouldn't have gave you a chance…"

"Eli! I warned you what would happen if you fooled us. I trusted you…"

They both cursed and banged their fists on the gate at the same time, causing his eyes to roll as he said. "Hey, hey, hey! One at a time, suckers, I can't hear your crying and appreciate it if you whine together" he mocked.

"Ahhh!! I will kill you! I'll toast you, Eli, and no one will miss your asshole face!" Angelica clung to the metal gate grate and Eli moved closer to her, keeping a little distance. 

"Would you risk it now that I have Josh, dwarf?!" he asked sarcastically and watched the effect it had on them. Their expressions became immediately scared and worried as he had fun with it. The good old bluff would always be useful, but today he wasn't in the mood for that.

"Where is he, Eli?" Wesley asked in his quiet voice, obviously calmer but not so much as Eli could see a drop of sweat running down his face.

"Josh is alive" he said with a shrug and turned to face him "Don't worry about him" he winked at him before he started backing away.

"No, c'mon man, you already got what you wanted, okay? You don't need Josh. If you want we'll even leave the malls as long as you give him back to us" Wesley tried to negotiate, his tone almost begging and Eli knew how humiliating it must be for him but there was no shit as going back now.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said and shook his head, Eli looked into Wesley's eyes as he continued "Now, and only now not when you gave me back part of my own mall, I got what I fucking wanted since the beginning" 

Smiling satisfactorily and walking away, Eli turned his back on them, ignoring the curses and calls to his name before saying goodbye "Bye, bye, suckers. I have something to take care of" he waved at them and went his way.

Eli calmly crossed his sections until he reached the safest spot in that mall, where by his abilities to perform, _Hollywood lost him if it was still there,_ all his and Josh's things were there as well as everything he would probably need. He stepped into what should have been a major security office company before, _the idiots who worked here would lose their shit if they were still alive and saw that someone like him would have the whole place to himself as well as the mall_ , he thought as he passed the chairs and tables around him to reach the elevator.

Climbing to the second floor, Eli stepped out of the elevator and passed through the smaller offices until he reached the largest one, which had the size of a store in his mall. _The boss of this place should be one of those white, slack, capitalist whores who did what they wanted before, summing it up, like a certain president._ Eli opened the large door and passed it, closing it as he walked into his office and watched his surroundings. The windows were open but the curtains prevented the view from outside, on either side of the door had sofas while in front of them were small tables, one with food, blankets, pillows and clothes on top and the other with medical supplies and medicines that didn't need temperature control.

Where once there was a table, now had a large bed in the middle of the room with a massage chair on either side and two mini-fridges in the opposite corners. Inside the left one were some drinks and water bottles while on the right one were needles, medicines that needed refrigeration and blood bags that had no effect on Eli. 

Taking off his clothes, Eli put them near the door and planned to burn them afterwards since the smell of rotten blood had already permeated. He put on a dark green shirt and black jeans, his attention quickly shifting to the person lying in bed when he heard a voice from there. "Eli? Is that you?" Josh had a medical bandage around his head since Eli had already cleaned his wound, his head was propped against two pillows as his clothes were changed to a sweatshirt and sweatpants with a blanket covering his body until above his waist. 

"Hey, sleeping beauty" he said without malice as he approached the right side of the bed, sitting in the massage chair.

"I don't get it. I don't get it, Eli" he said in a heavy, sleepy voice as he moved his arms wildly and tried to get up, the concussion clearly leaving him unable to do so. 

"Shhh! It's alright, Josh. I'm here, you can sleep" he grinned and put his hand on his friend's chest to keep him from moving and to calm him down. Which seemed to have an effect as he leaned back against the pillows again.

"No, I can't. You won't be here" he said even more tired, trying to keep his eyes open. "I said I was going back. I'm not going away again" he stated and saw that Josh wanted to say something else but his eyes were already closing. The only thing he could do before his breath slowed was to hold Eli's hand as Eli whispered next to his ear, his mind too far away to understand what he said.

"I will always be here, Josh, and you will always be mine"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! So I'm posting this today bc had a great tempest in my state yesterday so I was only capable of posting this chapter now and here is it like I promised.
> 
> Also, how I thought that it was too long, I split this chapter in two parts to be more dramatic😅. So I hope you like it bc I tried my best for all of you, my dear readers!
> 
> Thank you for all the amazing support and for sharing your opinions with me (don't stop please bc it is really important to me). I would appreciate more kudos and comments (can be constructive criticisms, compliments or doubts) bc honestly, your comments make my day better and I wait for them anxiously, but please no hate.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 3

Eli began to wake up to the sound of moans and someone moving in the sheets beside him. Shit, if his cousin Jay was masturbating while he slept again, he'd kill him this time. But as soon as he realized they were moans of pain and the movements were becoming more frantic, he remembered who was beside him and opened his eyes abruptly. Josh.

**Yeah, the ready meal you refuse to eat is waking up, idiot.**

_ Oh, shut up _ . He sighed tiredly and looked at his friend who was writhing on the bed and seeming to be in pain by his face, his eyes already opening as Eli approached. 

"Eli? I-it's not possible… you are dead!" Josh said in a heavy voice, barely able to lift his head to face him, he let out another moan of pain as he put his hand on the back of his head, eyes blinking all the time as if he couldn't see straight.

"Hey, dick, I shouldn't be alive any more than you should be awake" he grinned and teased him, but soon his expression changed to concern when Josh screamed and covered his ears, closing his eyes tightly. "No. No. Too loud. Too bright" he complained, seeming to be about to pass out, which made Eli realize what he meant. 

Shit, he must be sensitive to the fucking sunlight streaming through the curtains, and even Eli's voice must be like a bang to him. Rising from his chair, he tried not to focus on Josh's agonizing sounds as he grabbed a bottle of water, taking advantage that his friend was doing his best to keep his eyes closed to put a dissolving sleeping pill inside the bottle.

He watched the substance of the pill mix with the water, turning so he could close the curtains and go to Josh who was completely disoriented and in suffering, backing away and shrinking when Eli touched his arm. Fuck, he looked like the battered dogs on his street, vulnerable to any touch, and Eli that even having good intentions never knew what to do back then, knew much less now. 

**That's because you're not doing it right, Eli. Humans are weak, take their eyesight and hearing out and they'll act like fucking moles.**

_ Shut up, okay? I don't need you now. _

Ignoring what he said and trying to think quickly, Eli climbed into bed and approached his friend, placing the bottle on the headboard as he grabbed Josh's arms and pulled his face against his chest. Using one hand to hold the back of his neck and putting the other on his back, he cradled his friend's head in his arms, preventing the light and any sound from reaching him. Josh practically melted in his chest, breathing hard but seeming to calm down more and more.

He stood like that for a few minutes until he realized Josh had slept or passed out again, even through, he decided to move him so that he was half lying against the pile of pillows. Picking up the water bottle, he tilted his friend's head a little and slowly poured a few sips of water down his throat, needing a lot of patience to make sure he wouldn't choke.

"Shit, Josh, I'm not a fucking nurse" he snorted and leaned his back against the headboard when he finished making him drink water, by the way his friend's breathing slowed, it was looking like he was going to sleep for a long time.

**Just eat him now so he won't give us so much trouble.**

_ Okay, that's enough. What part of the shit I say, don't you understand? Josh is my friend and although I can't use him for anything, like I can with my mall, he's completely off limits. _

He explained before getting out of bed to throw the bottle away, when he was going to sit back in his massage chair he heard the voice finally say something useful.

**So if you want to keep having him with you, better think of something to help you little friend. He won't last long just with only these fucking pills and I can smell it.**

_ And how am I supposed to do this? _ he asked it more to himself than to the voice, but then he had an idea. He remembered his cousin Ginny after she fell down the stairs and banged her head, her uncles made her take some medicines and put earmuffs on her, given her a teddy bear to sleep. Okay, they did it with a child and it wasn't even a concussion but it might help Josh. Watching all the seasons of Grey's Anatomy because his cousin forced him and then he got so addicted to it that he watched all the seasons, it didn't mean that he remembered everything.

Eli was a practical man.

And at least it was something, he thought as he opened the door, checking Josh one last time before leaving and entering the elevator. He didn't want to think about it but he was worried about his friend and mostly about his own self control. Eli wasn't hungry but what would happen when he was? Now that he was closer to Josh and surely wouldn't let the losers get him back, he had to make sure he was in control of everything. He couldn't even trust himself now.

Leaving the elevator as soon as he stopped, Eli put his hands in his jeans pockets and sighed before stepping through the security officer's main gates. He began to whistle as he went through one of his sessions to another, enjoying the wonderful feeling of seeing the place completely empty and without the noise of the annoying suckers. It was just as before only this time he had Josh, someone he hoped was his friend as he thought.

The smell of burning metal and the noise of what he thought was a saw interrupted his thoughts, causing him to follow his instincts and try to find the source of these annoying things. What the fuck was happening in his mall? A guy couldn't get some time alone?

Crossing one of his sections, Eli saw the object of his discomfort. The suckers. Angelica was stood beside the witch, wearing a welder's mask as she used a chainsaw to try to drill a hole in the gate, the smell of burning metal showing that she had probably tried to melt it with her flamethrower. Turbo was sitting in a chair behind Wesley, who was wearing goggles and seemed to be wiping his sword.

"Hey, hey, heyyy! What the fuck are you doing? Get away from that gate, dwarf" he shouted and pointed at them, which made Wesley and Turbo turn to him before Angelica looked up and growled at Eli, who was paying more attention to the fact that the witch was staring intently at him with a manic look. Bunch of crazy people.

"Not even dead, dick. If you won't give us back to Josh then we'll bring him back ourselves" she hissed as Eli and Wesley approached the gate on either side, behind the samurai standing his faithful guard dog. "We weren't just going to wait for you to come back to talk to us, Eli” he said, frowning.

"Oh, c'mon. Josh is fine, okay? He is a bit sleepy and sick but he is with me. And well, maybe that should have been exactly what you should have done because I wouldn't want to remind you-" he continued, crossing his arms and smirking as he looked at the two main suckers "that I have him at my mercy" 

Before both, Angelica and Wesley could answer, they heard his name and another words being shouted in chinese? as a skateboard hit the gate and caused a crash, immediately driving them all away of it. "Eliii! I'm going to kill you" Kj shouted, coming towards him while still probably cursing him in Chinese. It could be another language but he would recognize bad words in every language.

"Wow! Calm down, Kj. This is not war" he joked and watched her expression turn murderous. She was spending way too much time with Angelica.

"You agreed to give us a section if we transported some things to your room. But you didn't say anything about kidnapping Josh and on top of that, you gave me a false control, you lying son of a bitch" she accused him before throwing the fake control at him, which caused the object to smash into the gate grate. And for the first time in that day, Eli had to push this anger that didn't came from him back or he didn't doubt that the voice would want to break the gate and eat the losers.

"Okay, okay, let's all relax" he said, raising his hands in mock surrender while smiling "First, you didn't ask if I was going to "kidnap" Josh so I saw no reason to tell you that. Second, it's not my fault if you didn't see me cross my fingers when I said I'd give you one of my sections" Eli explained as he watched the glare of anger in the eyes of everyone on the other side of the gate. Wow, it was unbelievable how stressed people were lately. They were beginning to act like the adults.

"Really, Eli? I've met a lot of assholes but you're beating them" Wesley said sounding disappointed at the same time Turbo grunted, but Eli's attention soon returned to Angelica "And that was our mistake, to think you were more than just an asshole" she said angrily before putting the mask back on and starting sawing the metal again.

"That's the thing, Angelica, we all knew who he was but we gave him a chance, even me. But he's just a greedy idiot that Josh will kick out when he wakes up" Kj finished before banging hers fist on the gate.

Okay, that hurt. Eli never cared about the opinions of others, and that was no different now. But still, strangely, this words, coming from them, made a lump in his stomach clench and a dark feeling bubble up at the edge of his mind. They were right, he was a liar and greedy asshole but Josh had seen more than that, he had known more than that. And Eli could ignore the fact that they hated him, but not the attempt to take his friend from him. Even if Eli wasn't anxious to discover what this same friend would do when he woke up.

"Turn it off, dwarf" he asked, but Angelica just ignored him as Kj grabbed another saw and goggles to start helping her. 

The noise of the metal being sawn and the sight of the sparks making his head throb and the black veins begin to rise through his body when this time he didn't ask but ordered loudly, his tone dangerous."I told you to stop!" he heard Turbo and the witch's growl at his words and felt Wesley's gaze on him but all he could think about was the fact that neither Kj nor Angelica were stopping.

They had to stop.

Laughing to disguise his anger and what he was going to do, Eli whispered "Okay, you didn't give me a choice" before heading toward the side of the gate where he had already prepared something for such a situation. Grasping the tip of the lever and turning it, he watched the water pipes he cut begin to spill water on the gate grille, causing Angelica and Kj to stop what they were doing and look at him in confusion but Wesley and the witch had already realized what he was going to do when he put his hand on the other lever and smiled. 

"Get away" his favorite samurai screamed before running towards the girls and hugging them, causing the three to be thrown to the ground as Mrs. Crumble stood over them to protect before the electrical discharge hit the spot they were at. The rays of energy danced on the metal like Christmas lights when they watched the electric charge cause the saw to burn.

Eli watched their shocked and furious expressions as they rose with the witch's help, as if they didn't expect him to go that far. Too bad they were wrong. "What the fuck was that, Eli? You could have killed them, you asshole" he'd never seen Wesley so angry since he seemed to be smoking weed to remain so calm, even his murderous boyfriend had to hug him from behind and hold him when he shouted.

"What the fuck did I just do, Wes-Wes?" he said dryly as he crossed his arms and smirked "I did what I needed and besides, I knew that neither you nor Mrs. Crumble would let them both die. After all, it wasn't like I'd wait for both of them to stop, would I?"

"Fuck you, Eli! Fuck if this was what you needed to do. You could have killed them both, Eli, and all because you only care about yourself and don't give a shit about anyone else" Wesley shouted as Angelica stood beside him along with Kj and Mrs. Crumble and Turbo right behind them. As a fucking family.

**Yeah, just like the perfect family they built, right, Eli? And you are not in it. In fact the only thing missing from this picture is your friend Josh, that you know will leave you and come for them when he wake up.**

"Shut up!" he screamed and felt his vision turn red and the black veins bounce beneath the skin all over his body, including his face "I'm selfish, okay? I'm a fucking selfish, liar and ambitious asshole who would do anything to save myself and you're right about that, but you want to know something…" he laughed darkly as he got very close to the gate, ignoring the lightning bolts of electricity as he gripped the railing and yet he didn't feel the pain he was supposed to, which made him appreciate the shocked, fearful looks of those on the other side.

"I care about Josh. I care about him because he's the only one who saw more than that. He can be a low-level asshole sometimes, make stupid mistakes that he'll blame himself later and act like a naive puppy but in a fucking day, even after I ridiculed him, he was the one who talked to me and saw more of me than many. He cried for me. He cared" he stated with unshed tears in his eyes that for a few seconds were no longer black, but returned to that color as soon as he smirked.

"And so I will make sure he is safe and happy, that he is with me where he should be. I'll do what you couldn't, I'll do what Sam Dean doesn't want to happen and I'll do it right. Josh Wheeler may be your friend but he is also  _ MINE _ . My friend, and I won't let you take him from me" he growled the last part and felt the effect of electricity finally hitting him, but it was only like tickling his hands. 

Calming down and feeling his other part recoil, he saw Wesley with his hand on his sword as Turbo hovered protectively behind him, the witch standing in front of Kj and Angelica who stared at him in fright. Good. Fear was good, he could lead with this.

"Now if you losers excuse me.." he simpered and took his hands off the electrified metal grid, slowly moving away "I have things to do and someone to take care of" he said and turned his back to them, putting his hands in his pocket and pacing when he heard a growl and Mrs. Crumble's voice. "You're not Eli!"

It made him pause for a second and glance at the witch, but soon he continued walking and felt the voice inside him purr as he ignored her continuous screams. You're not Eli!

You're not Eli anymore.

You're not him! 

You are not him!!!

He passed his stores and went to get what he came for first. Entering a stuffed animal and accessory store, he grabbed a black stuffed earphone and put it around his neck, searching among the stuffed animals on the shelf that would best suit Josh. Smiling as he caught a charizard, he tucked it under his arm and left the store. He would never get sick of taking something without worrying about money.

Crossing the first floor of the security officer, he entered the elevator that began go up. The moment the doors opened, he heard the noise of some things being knocked over and someone falling to the floor with a thud. Running toward the main office, he slammed the doors open and froze at the sight in front of him.

The bed was a complete mess with the rolled-up blanket and scattered pillows. Some of the food and clothing lay on the floor while some of the medicine seemed to had been thrown on the wall. But what caught his attention was Josh, who was huddled in the right corner beside the mini-fridge, the sounds of his crying and murmuring sounding so loud in the room. 

"Josh" he said softly and saw his friend turn to him with swollen eyes and cheeks a little swollen and with some bleeding scratches on his arms, which by the color of his nails seemed to have been caused by him. He was looking at Eli but his eyes seemed unfocused and glazed. This wasn't good. "Hey buddy. What are you doing there?"

"No" Josh whispered, crawling until he was fully curled against the wall. A little more and he could merge with that "You are not here"

"Yes, I am, Josh" he explained and saw his friend shake his head in denial, looking around with a twinkle in his eyes. He didn't know he wasn't in school anymore. "Where do you think you are then? If I'm not here then who are you talking to, Josh?"

"I'm at school with Sam" he said and laughed bitterly. "But not the way I told you it would be because she actually locked me here. And the worst is, I deserve it. And you are just a hallucination, Eli. You are dead and now I can just talk to your hallucination" he explained self-deprecatingly, lifting his knees and putting his arms over them. His teary eyes as Eli slowly approached him, crouching in front of him.

"No, Josh, you're not at the bloody school, okay? I'm with you, only me. Not Sam. Not the jocks, that stupid brainless idiots. Only me" he explained, raising his hands in surrender to try to calm his friend. He had seen the progression the hallucinations of his uncle Terry, the junkie, and none of them ended well. It was simply a fact about hallucinations, most often they hit where it hurt the most in your subconscious.

When he thought Josh would let him approach him, suddenly his friend began to beg and try to kick him. "No, Sam, please. Not the ghoulies, please don't do this. I'm sorry, Sam, please" he started screaming and repeating this as Eli had to pull away, watching Josh start to thrash against the floor as if something was attacking him, scratching himself and getting hurt in the process. Shit, he had to do something now. He couldn't let his friend get on with it, it would just get worse.

**Leave it to me. I can control him.**

_ Do you think I'm crazy? You will fucking eat him and not help. _ Eli said to the voice but still getting more and more desperate with the screams and the smell of blood increasing as his friend keep hurting himself. It was wonderful but he pushed it behind his mind, he couldn't falter. He was no shitty ghoulie.

**Don't worry, idiot. We have a deal and you're not strong enough to make him control himself so let me do it. Or else he'll stay stuck in his shit.**

_ Shit _ , Eli swore in his mind and ran his hands through the hair. He didn't want to leave his other side near Josh but he had no choice.  _ Okay, idiot. Do what you need to but if when I get back he isn't well, you will regret it. _

**Whatever, Eli.**

And with that, Eli felt his conscience being thrown to the back of his mind and his eyes roll up before they closed. Opening his eyes and seeing his vision had already turned red, he smiled darkly as he observed the black veins running up his arms and his strength increasing. He looked at Josh and realized that although he had promised Eli that he would help him, he didn't know exactly how to help someone hallucinating and getting stuck in them, after all he wasn't meant for it. He was made to kill and destroy, as an unstoppable force to tear and maim living things and not to take care of them.

This was really a shitty situation.

Approaching his target, he looked through Eli's memories and saw an idea that could be useful and effective, so he quickly lunged at Josh and held his wrists in front of him, ignoring his screams and kicks as he dragged him to the bed and threw him on it. 

"Please, no. Sam, please, I'll be good but please, don't do that" Josh immediately started begging as he tried to get out of the bed, his movements disarrayed and his smell of a clearly not fully conscious prey. But he was quicker to grasp Josh's foot with one hand and take the three silk scarves Eli had brought with him and that now were on one of the tables. Riding over Josh's belly, he used his left hand and his strength to press his throat in such a way that it didn't cut his breath but immobilize him as he took his left wrist, using one of the scarves to tie it to the headboard.

With the human still thrashing beneath him even after he tied his other wrist, he smelled fear and panic only rising in his target's mind that would soon have what humans called a panic attack and Eli would hate him for letting it happen. He would need to be fast. So he bared his sharp teeth and saw the effect it had on seeing Josh's gaze blur less than before and his mouth open in fear.

He took the opportunity to shove the last scarf into Josh's mouth and tie it around his head, getting out of bed only to get a syringe and a sedative that he had influenced Eli to put in the mini-fridge for situations like that. Eli's memories were really useful when he payed attention to what he was taught and in what he read or watched. 

Putting in the syringe the amount of the drug he felt wouldn't harm Josh's brain chemistry but would affect him quickly, he sat on his belly again and felt the stench of the mess that was his prey's mind. He knew Josh wasn't conscious but if when he got better this was something he would remember, he had to make Eli not look like the bad guy.

"Just calm down, human. I promise that I won't fuck with your mind. I will just give it a break, a long and good break" he said, his voice deceptively sweet when he grasped the human's face more gently, faking a smile that he saw Eli doing and turning the human's head to the side as he carefully puncturing the skin of Josh's neck with the needle, injecting the substance. The human slowly stopped fighting and seemed to return to unconsciousness as fear left his eyes and a shimmer of relief replaced it, his limbs slackening against the bonds. 

He had to admit, the human looked completely delicious lying in such a vulnerable way. His head was against the pillow and a few strands of his hair were stuck to his forehead, his throat was exposed and he could clearly hear the blood roaring in his veins.

Eli was lucky he wasn't hungry yet or he'd be tempted to take a piece of the human.

Getting off Josh, he covered him with the blanket until his waist and discarded the needle, then looking at the blood running down Josh's arms. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to stand it much longer if the blood remained exposed and that Eli would freak even more if he saw it, he took a cotton box and a bottle of liquid that smelled strange but he felt it would help the human. 

Being careful against his will, he cleaned each of the scratches and cuts, every time he looked at one feeling his bloodlust hit him but the smell of the liquid helped to conceal it, minimizing his will. He took the bandages off the table and bandaged the human's arms. Great, he'd been reduced to a fucking nurse.

He finished it and sat in the massage chair with the sedative bottle in his hand. Eli would soon be back and take his body back, which probably meant he wouldn't like to knew that he sedated his friend so it would be nice if he even pretended to know what he was doing. 

Yeah, he really preferred to have control when he was hungry, it was so simple just to kill and feed himself. The sensation was intoxicating and completely hallucinating, but he would have to wait to have it again so he began storing the information Eli would need to take care of his human.

Soon he felt another conscious struggle to come back, so he simply closed his eyes and let himself go back to the depths of their shared mind. Eli opened his eyes startled and breathing deeply as he ran his hands over his body. He was fucking back and not having whatever was inside him controlling his body.

**Anyone who hears this would think I wasn't the only one helping your human out while you freaked out. Ungrateful pussy.**

_ Oh, shut up. You know I'm grateful.  _ He said playfully for the first time in his mind but soon regretted when he looked at the bed and saw his gagged and bound friend. 

"What the fuck did you do?" he shouted in shock and got up, climbing onto the bed and placing his head on Josh's chest. Relief flooded his heart when he heard the heartbeat. 

Slow but still there.

When he went to remove the ties that bound his friend along with the silk scarf that gagged him, he felt the veins rise through his body and throw him backwards, out of bed and on his back on the floor. 

**Don't take it off. Do you know the work it took to do all this?!**

"So answer me, damn it! Throwing me to the ground won't save you if you don't tell me what the fuck have you done to Josh" he said indignantly and stood up, looking at his friend as he circled the bed and waited for the voice to respond.

**He was hallucinating just like you thought, asshole. If I didn't do something he would kill himself.**

_ This doesn't explain why he is this way and completely out of step. Couldn't you just have held him until it passed?  _ he asked irritably as he sat on the bed next to Josh, sighing as he approached to brush his friend's hair off his forehead. 

**I saw it in your memories.**

_ What? _ he asked completely confused. Eli couldn't fucking remember tying or gagging anyone at any time in his life. He was genius but not that kind.

**I saw that in what you humans call movies. It worked.**

The voice said with an almost shameful smugness that involuntarily made Eli laugh in anger and disbelief.  _ You can only be kidding me, right? Are you telling me you did this to Josh because you saw it in a movie, and probably a kidnapping movie? Are you dumb or just stupid? _

**Shut up, Eli. It certainly wasn't the best source of information, but if you had been paying attention to your fucking biology classes, you would remember things about brain chemistry and the effects of different drugs, but you were too stupid for that. Also, it worked, right?**

_ And what did you do with that knowledge, idiot? Don't you fucking tell me you drugged Josh?  _ he asked angrily, analyzing his friend's neck and then seeing the needle mark.

**What if I did it? He was suffering, Eli, and even though I didn't care that was exactly what you didn't want. Look at his arms. Finally look at them and take off the bandages, see what it looks like!**

It was at that moment that Eli paid attention to the medical bands gathered around the arms of his friends. He had missed them before probably because he had been avoiding the wonderful scent of Josh's blood since the hallucinations began, but now he could clearly smell the fresh wounds beneath them.

Carefully and even hesitantly, Eli approached where his friend's left wrist was tied to the headboard and began unwinding the bandages. The second he was done, he was struck by the strong smell of blood and the irresistible attraction to a piece of flesh vainly covered by the smell of alcohol. So at least the idiot had the conscience to clean it. But using all his strength, he focused on the sight of the scratches and even cuts Josh's nails had left on his own arm which forced him to look away to control himself.

**No, don't you fucking dare not to look. That is what he did to himself. Your human needed this and you will realize it.**

The voice screamed in his head as he gritted his teeth, making the black veins turn his head so that he looked at the wounds and then at Josh's face.  _ He watched his friend struggle against the tightness in his throat and the bonds, the clear of fear and panic in his eyes as the needle pierced his neck. Eli saw the relief Josh felt when the hallucinations probably disappeared and his friend slowly fell asleep. _

With his vision returning to normal, Eli took a deep breath and put his hand over his eyes. He didn't want to do all of that with Josh, his only friend, but he didn't feel like he had a choice. He couldn't see him suffering and hurting himself every time he woke up. 

They could call him a fucking pussy but he couldn't do that.

Moving his hand to stroke Josh's hair, he laughed bitterly. "I'm sorry, Josh. You won't remember that and it's better this way but I'm sorry" he said and put the bandages back on before removing the scarf that gagged his friend.

_ Okay, now what? What did you plan after simply tying and drugging my human? _

He asked, and although the term was still foreign to him, it wasn't necessarily unpleasant. After all, he was no longer a human and Josh was his.

**What do you mean now what? We sedate him every 5 hours with doses already scheduled in the syringes and keep him like this for three days since by then he'll be better.**

_ Are you sure about that? _ Eli questioned, getting up and looking at his massage chair when he saw the sedative bottle. Holding it in his hand, he looked at the label and realized that this sedative certainly didn't come from a regular drugstore.

_ Where the hell did you get that? I don't remember taking this. _

**In the emergency room of your mall. I don't know what it was doing there but it wasn't that hard to find. The humans here had a complete stock.**

_ You think you're very smart, don't you? And how are we going to feed and make him drink water if he's going to be out all the time, idiot? _

He asked smugly as he put the sedative bottle in the mini fridge. He would worry later about the fact that whatever was inside him could do things that he wouldn't remember even when he was in control of his own body.

**Okay, maybe I didn't think of that before. But it's not like it's too hard, right? Just use those bags with that weird-smelling liquid and inject it. In Grey's Anatomy they did it.**

_ These things are hospital serum bags and they should be used for emergencies. _ Eli couldn't believe he was arguing with a voice inside him that watched Grey's Anatomy through his memories.

**And Game of Thrones, How I met your mother, Big Band Theory, The 100 and Supernatural plus several others. You have very different tastes, Eli.**

_ My taste in choosing series is none of your business. These bags should only be used if one of us had just had surgery and needed it. Not because SOMEONE decided to drug Josh.  _

**Will you keep insisting on it? This is an emergency and besides, you wouldn't even knew how to make a surgery if you had to.**

_ This is not the fucking point! Look, we'll have to inject this straight into the vein and change the injection site probably once a day. We end up having more work than we should, smarty.  _ Eli grabbed the necessary medical equipment from the table and the bags of hospital serum that would keep Josh hydrated and fed for as long as necessary, organizing it on the right mini-fridge.

**That may be true but don't pretend to be a fucking saint and tell me you didn't like this idea. You will be able to stay close to your human without having to worry about him waking up and how he will react to us. No explanations. And you still get Josh by your side. It would be good to keep him like that forever if the consequences of it wouldn't kill him.**

_ It doesn't matter, okay? I'm getting more eccentric than I was after you appeared. Also, he is a person not a toy. And now, I'm going to have to be a nurse for three days. _ Eli snorted exasperated and sat in his massage chair. In 5 hours he would have to sedate Josh again and start injecting the contents of the IV bag or he would die of dehydration soon.

Eli picked up his headphone and put it on, picking out some quiet music and turning the volume down as he looked into Josh's face one last time before tilting his chair and staring at the ceiling.

_ How do you think he'll react when he finds out I can't let him go back to the losers?  _ What? Yeah, I'm as lonely as you think I am for talking to the voice inside me.

**Really? Now you're going to act like we're close friends so you ask something and I just answer? Humm... okay, idiot, but only because I'm bored. He will be pissed off with you for sure.**

**Humans are always dramatic.**

_ Yeah, I expected that. _ he answered in his mind and sighed.  _ And when he finds out I'm not human anymore? Or if he even sees you killing and eating people? Is he going to hate me? _

**He'll lose his shit and freak out completely. Especially after seeing what we are capable of. And to answer the last question, I would tell you to stop being a pussy.**

_ Of course you would say that. _ he laughed humorless since he expected it too, after all what he should expect from what was inside him?

**I said I would tell you that. BUT... my answer is that he's probably going to hate you, and if it's not for keeping those suckers away from him it's for what we are now, that's how humans are. But if it depends on what I saw in your memories and if that afternoon was as impacting for him as it was for you, if he's so your friend as you're his... then he won't hate you. And whatever he feels beyond that, can no longer be foreseen either for you or me.**

He listened attentively, and for the first time since hearing this distorted voice, the words made him smile and laugh truly. In a relaxed and real way.

_ Looks like you've become a fucking psychologist now. I didn't think you were so sensitive. _

**Shut the fuck up, Eli. Next time I'll leave you talking to yourself.**

_ Okay, okay, sorry. Thanks... you are a certainly a fucking insane sociopath that make me eat people but thank you for dealing with my screwed up feelings. _

**_No problem, dick._ **

He heard the voice respond and gave a small smile with that, turning up the music as he turned on the chair and sat back. It would be three long days but it would be worth it. He just wasn't looking forward to the end of those days.

* * *

The three days passed faster than Eli would have liked. 

In the first, Eli removed the straps and began injecting IV bag liquid into Josh's right arm after some superficial wounds were already healed and he cleaned up the remaining ones again. 

He took a few hours of discussion about his biology classes and teaching what was inside him about reliable sources of information which consequently led him to discuss series and movies. It was the longest debate he'd ever had when the voice inside him discovered what ships were.

The first bottle of sedative was over by the beginning of the second which forced him to get another one from the emergency room since the voice was smart enough to know that the freeze there was made for this kind of medications. On his way back to the security officer he hadn't seen any of the losers near the inner gates or the outer exits. 

Which could only indicate two things: either they were shitting his pants because they're too afraid to appear or they were planning something. Personally Eli preferred the first option since this would give him less work but knowing this suckers, it was probably the second and less probably the both but certainly not the first.

Why did they have to complicate everything?

His friend had also muttered from time to time and tried to move his body which meant he had to tie Josh's left arm that now was where Eli was injecting the IV bag.

On the third and final day of sedation, he checked Josh's concussion as he did every morning and realized that just as the voice said, his friend would be better the next day. Eli removed the bandages from the arm that wasn't tied, noting the almost healed marks the scratches had left and deciding to keep them for safety, but shifting where Josh received IV bag fluid from his left arm to his right one and immediately bandaging the left one after that.

Now, in the middle of the night while he was sitting on Josh's belly and carefully turning his face to the side, it would be the last time he would have to inject the sedative. He could feel the lingering tug of hunger he'd fought the last few days. The thirst striking him as he saw the blood pulsing in the vein in his friend's neck, the roar of his blood rushing through the vein ringing so loudly in his ears that he could only hear it.

It was almost irresistible.

_ Control yourself, okay? This is the last time we will do this then we will have six hours to you feed before Josh wakes up. So control yourself. _

**It's been four days, Eli. We need this or the first thing Josh will see when he wakes up will be you losing your fucking control.**

_ I fucking know!  _ he gasped and gritted his teeth before bending until his cheek was against Josh's chest. The sound of his friend's heartbeat calming him as he took deep breaths and the hand he was holding the syringe trembled like a leaf. 

Slowly and with great effort, Eli managed to make the hunger retract and sit back, changing the syringe to his other hand and holding with his trembling hand his friend's face. He punctured Josh's skin, that had already many small purple marks, for the last time and injected the sedative, getting away from his friend as soon as possible.

He quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt with a black jacket. Eli needed to get out of there. Going down to the first floor, he left the office and headed toward one of his hidden exits in some of his stores.

Feeling the cold night breeze hit his face, he checked to see if anyone had seen him with his new senses and locked the door behind him, taking a deep breath.

_ Okay, this is your turn but this time there are limits. At most, you can eat two people. And as I already know we can't eat ghoulies, at least make sure to eat idiots or the teens I know you know are darker than they look. You have my memories so use them wisely. _

**Keep your shit together, Eli. I know what I'm doing.**

So the last thing Eli remembered was starting to walk across the parking lot to his motorcycle and to wake up covered in blood sitting on his massage chair, sunlight streaming through the cracks in the curtains and hitting his face. 

_ Shit _ , he felt better than before but at the same time extremely tired as he blinked, rubbing his eyes before opening them.

_ What the hell did you do last night? Last time I didn't feel like I ran a fucking marathon. _

**That's because this time I spent exactly five hours and fifty minutes using your body. If you didn't use your physical capacity in such a poor way you would only enjoy the feeling of having just eaten what your body really needs.**

_ I'm a fucking genius with an amazing brain not a jock. I'm sure I wasn't born to be whatever I became.  _ He replied irritably as he stood up and immediately placed a hand on his forehead because of the throbbing pain pulsing beneath his skull. It was as if he had gotten drunk at a party and now had to deal with a hangover early in the morning. But it looked ten times worse this time.

**I noticed that but don't be so sure you wasn't. Also, your body will adapt and soon no matter how long I use it, you will wake up feeling like a king and you will still be able to eat those boring human foods that you love so much again.**

Eli immediately took his hand from her head, his eyes sparkling when even though the first part intrigued him, the only thing he could focus on at the moment was the last thing the voice said.  _ You're not fucking with me, right? Because I really need my delicious greasy food again. And you just think it is boring because you prefer to eat living things that can scream. Bloody sadistic psychopath. _

**Don't come with the shitty judgment now, Eli. I ate only two people and by your memories, they sure were worse than us who aren't even human.**

_ Whatever, man, if any of the things you told me isn't truth you are screwed. _ Eli affirmed, the smell of the changing of Josh's brain chemicals drawing his attention to him. 

His friend was half lying on the pile of pillows, with a blanket covering him and one of his arms tied and the IV bag being injected straight into his vein. He still had the bandage around his head, wearing a different t-shirt and sweatpants and his other arm was no longer bandaged, probably because of what was inside Eli.

Besides, he looked completely the same as when Eli left him but now, with this senses, he could say better. 

The numbing smell of his brain was changing, his breathing was more active and his heartbeat quickening as his chest rose and fell no longer in the way of a sedated person. 

Josh was waking up. 

This time probably without hallucinations and completely conscious. And soon.

**Shit.**

_ Shit. _

Hurrying, Eli took the empty sedative bottles and put them in a bag. He went into the private bathroom, and took what was the fastest shower since he got this place, removing any trace of death from himself before changing to some clothes like the ones he was wearing. He picked up and put the bloody clothes in another bag, gathering them with the bag with the empty sedative bottles and leaving the main office to put it in the first floor storage room.

Eli dropped the bags there and decided he would do the laundry later and throw the bottles away when he could, going to the elevador and waiting to it go as fast as it could. He needed to be there for Josh.

**Relax, Eli. Things will work out.**

_ I would like _ . He thought and exited the elevator, opening the main office door and freezing at Josh's voice. 

"Eli?" his friend was sitting down and clearly trying to remove the IV bag needle from his arm before Eli appeared, but his eyes were wide as he stared at him as if he couldn't believe in who was in front of him. "Is this you? Like, not a dream but you?" Josh's voice sounded hopeful but at the same time so broken. 

"Yeah, that's what I've been trying to tell you since I saved you from your girlfriend. I still can't believe you mistook Eli fucking Cardashyan for a dream. Like I know that I'm too beautiful to be real but I hope that at least was a good one" he teased and approached the bed, simply not knowing what to do when Josh removed the needle from his arm and got out of bed faster than he should have been able to. 

Yeah, it was too much to wait for Josh to be happy to see him, before it was just the concussion that made him so attached to Eli. Just that.

But when he realized that Josh was stumbling toward him and not the door, he stood still just to see his face being pulled against his friend's chest, his large arms hugging his torso as Josh's chin was resting on his head. "I'm sorry, please, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Eli, it was my fault".

He heard those words and didn't know what to focus on at the moment, how good it felt to be in this position, or to tell Josh that he didn't need to apologize. But instead of either of these, he simply said sarcastically to try to make things like before "I already forgave you, Josh. But the next time you leave this delicious body in the middle of the park at the mercy of ghoulies, I will really come back as a ghost to haunt you"

This made Josh chuckle at his hair and finally let go of him, which despite making Eli regret saying something made him smile when he saw the shy smile on his friend's face. 

"God, how the hell are you alive? I saw you die in front of me. I saw it" he insisted with that confused puppy face and kept a hand on Eli's shoulder. "It's complicated, Josh, and I know I'm incredible but I'm not a god. Also, be glad I came back to save your ass since you don't seem to be able to take care of yourself, dick" he said and knew he was changing the subject, but Josh didn't seem to notice when he sighed exasperatedly.

"Good to know you're still an asshole, Eli. But why? Shouldn't you be happy to get rid of me and that without me you have your mall back?" His friend asked and frowned, releasing Eli's shoulder as he went to one of the mini-fridges and looked for a bottle of water. 

"I know, that's exactly how I thought I should feel to find out your girlfriend kidnapped you. But…" he explained and shrugged as he closed the mini-fridge door and held the water bottle before looking at Josh "That's what friends are for, right? To help others even when they act like reckless idiots and blah, blah, blah. And we are friends, aren't we?" he asked and threw the bottle at Josh before blinking at him and sitting in his chair, hating the way he felt insecure and afraid of Josh's answer.

"I guess we are" he said as he took the bottle, and looked at Eli as if he had two heads. What he hoped didn't have. "But I thought that Eli Cardashyan didn't need friends" his friend smiled provocatively and seemed to lean on the edge of the bed, which Eli noticed but chose not to show. 

It was one thing to act like he did when Josh was sleeping or hallucinating, another was when he was awake. "I don't need anyone, but you dick, could definitely use another friend" he stated and smiled with the laugh Josh gave as he dropped the edge of the bed and opened the bottle. 

"Yeah I think I could really use another one. By the way, where are we and where are the guys? Are they okay?" Josh asked with a frown of concern before drinking water almost all the water from the bottle and looking around. Eli had expected it but that doesn't change the fact that his friend's question bothered something inside him.

"Your friends are making sure Sam doesn't try anything, they were really worried about you. And this little place… I discovered after some days here in the mall" Eli explained and crossed his arms, not letting Josh say anything as he teased before pointing to the bathroom and throwing some clothes to him "But I'll be sure to kick your ass out of here if you don't take a shower, because you really need it, Josh" 

"It's not like I had time for a shower, I was trying not to die a couple of years ago" he blushed and analyzed the clothes, heading for the bathroom and holding the doorknob but then turning to Eli and giving a small smile. "Thanks, Eli, for you know... get me out of there and let me stay here, even if I didn't get your cards" 

"Don't worry, I have something better now" he smiled too and they looked at each other at that moment like that afternoon. When they had just argued about Pokemon and were simply walking side by side, as if the apocalypse hadn't happened. 

Like Eli didn't annoy Josh until he lost his shit several times or hadn't tried to kick him and the losers out of the mall, blackmailing Josh to get what he wanted. As if there were only the two of them and that warm feeling they shared at that moment. 

Like they were friends.

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope you all had a great Christmas and a wonderful, happy New Year. I also hope you are safe and very happy in 2020!😘❤
> 
> I'm getting to the point today, so I'm sorry for the delay in this chapter but it's my first one showing Josh's pov and my beta couldn't help me. So even though I've been working hard to write it the best way to all of you... I know it's not perfect or completely awesome. So I really expect you all to enjoy this chapter!😊
> 
> I'm really thankful for the amazing support and for all the opinions shared with me (again, don't stop please bc it is really was motivates me). I would appreciate more kudos and comments (can be constructive criticisms, compliments or doubts, just write it guys) the wait for your comments it's my life, and if you could, please no hate.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 4

Josh staggered a bit as he entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him and laying his back on it. He had a little smile on his lips despite the throbbing pain in his head and the weakness he was feeling all over his body. He was feeling like a fucking truck had run over him several times, but still, it was as if the emptiness that had settled in his heart that afternoon was finally gone. Like things were going back to the way they were supposed to be, almost normal. 

Or as normal as his life had been during the damn apocalypse.

He knew he was probably in shock because that would explain why he didn't freak out when he saw Eli alive, his brain still must had been trying to understand what he had seen. But Josh realized he didn't give a shit. 

Yeah, the rational, surviving part of his mind, the one that made him try to move away from any emotional attachment and focus on staying alive, wanted to know how the hell his friend wasn't dead but he… he was just happy and thankful for that. And that wasn't a bad thing. He certainly would hear that part of his mind later, after all, he was raised to hear it, but not today. Today he promised he would just relax and enjoy the present.

Closing his eyes for a few seconds, he brushed away the dizziness that suddenly threatened to overwhelm him - he must have been thinking too much when he was still on the effects of concussion - and opened them again. This time really looking around and analyzing the bathroom. 

It was large and spacious, with dark and light blue tiles on the walls and white ceiling. With furniture that was clearly costly, in the left corner a shower with a glass box around it and beside, a large white round bathtub in the right corner, a window just above it. He certainly wouldn't have been able to come to a bathroom like this before.

Pulling away from the door, he put the clothes Eli had given him on the toilet lid and turned to face the sink. Josh took a deep breath before taking off his t-shirt and sweatpants and looking into the large mirror in front of him.

He struggled to move his limbs and be careful to remove the bandages from his head and arm, unwinding them more slowly than he would have liked. For now, he ignored the injuries he had barely noticed when he touched his hand with all fingers to the back of his neck.

_ Fuck _

Josh thought the moment he felt the already closed wound that was the source of his headache, sighing as he entered the huge box and turned on the shower, he placed his hands on the wall and let the hot water hit his shoulders, going down his back.

It had been a long time since he took such a good shower. Most of the city shitty showers weren't exactly relaxing when ghoulies could appear at any time.

Josh enjoyed the feel of the warm water on his skin, making his muscles relax as he looked down at his hands, having flashbacks of the sight of Eli's blood on them. The warm, wet sensation of blood staining his hands as he grasped Eli's body and tried desperately to do something to keep life from leaving his eyes. To keep him from dying.

But Eli was alive. 

Josh looked at him and was able to touch his skin because he was real. Eli had saved him and no matter how many doubts swirled in his head, like alarms telling him that this must be impossible. How much his mind told him that clearly Eli had diverted his attention when he asked him why he wasn't dead, he had promised not to let it all control him. He decided that he would let it go for at least today.

After all, he trusted Eli, didn't him? Then no investigation.

No doubts.

No suppositions.

The only thing that mattered was that Eli was alive, in the room behind him and still the annoying idiot that he had always been.

Now he was just glad for that.

And honestly, when he started to wash his hair and the rest of his body, Josh started to think that maybe even after Sam, after he tried to save her when she clearly didn't need and wanted it, things could work out. Besides, he didn't have time or energy to be angry with her even after everything she did.

He would definitely be happy to see his friends again, even Turbo who still gave him a little fear if he got too close to Wes. 

And now that Eli was as important to him as others were, with his and the others daybreakers help he felt he could do what was best for everyone. That although he still was hurt for what Sam did with him, the best would be to let she live her life being the Queen of the jocks as long as she didn't hurt any of them. 

And about his love for her, that wasn't something he wanted to think about right now. Neither about that nor about what he would do to his stupid part of him that was still in love with her.

Feeling his headache only get worse with that thought, Josh decided he could enjoy this shower later if Eli let him back here. He had always been aware that Eli knew the shopping better than he did (one of the reasons of why he get to enter here even after Josh locked every exit he had find out, pissing him off all the time), and that even though he was a survivor who would know the best place to hide, he hadn't discovered this place. 

A place Eli had probably let him stay just because of his the injury on his head and the recent beginning of their friendship, which would also explain why his other friends weren't here, since Eli was too smart to let many people know of a place like this. And knowing that he was still here made his heart melt a little at the knowledge that Eli trusted him even if maybe just a little, which might be enough for him to let him come back at some point.

He expected that to happen but Eli was really possessive over his things and Josh wouldn't want to lose his friend for something as petty as that. After all, when he saw that part of his past when Eli was just a kid wanting some cards to be his and then passed that afternoon with him, Josh finally understood why he was like that. So maybe they could just share it as they would do with the mall in the end.

Taking the towel from the rack beside the box, Josh forced himself out of the comfort of warm water and face the reality of his body situation. He had obviously been through shitty things since the fucking apocalypse happened, but when he finished drying himself and really looked at his reflection in the bathroom, he noticed things that he didn't before.

Throughout his arms were several scratches and cuts, some already healed and others not yet. He vaguely remembered seeing ghoulies attacking him but it could only be a hallucination, after all he was still alive and Eli had taken care of him. So maybe he did it, didn't him?

His father had talked about what animals being trapped could do to themselves, and Josh really should have been really messed up if he had acted the same way and hurt himself senseless. His suspicions confirmed when he put his nails in the scratching positions, clearly showing that he had done it since it matched perfectly.

_ Shit _

Analyzing his arms, he saw that along with that, were small marks that looked like needles on his wrists and upper arm. As soon as he turned his face, realizing there were similar marks on his neck. 

Josh knew some of the needle marks came from the IV bag he woke up and saw, but that didn't explain the scratches and small marks on his neck. He'd have to ask Eli about it maybe after they saw the others. He didn't want them to see that and suspect of something, but now he felt that asking about it to Eli would seen like  _ he _ was suspecting of something, and he didn't want that.

Taking the clothes off the toilet lid, Josh gave a small laugh when he saw what was spelled out in large letters on the front and back of the black long sleeve t-shirt:

" **_Belongs to Eli Cardashyan!"_ **

It seemed like something Eli would do, which meant that Josh would probably have to return the shirt soon. But he could get used to it if this included getting clothes that used to be expensive for free now. He had to admit that as demanding as he was, Eli had a hell of a good taste. The dark blue jeans, socks and black sneakers that came with the long sleeve t-shirt certainly proved it. This made Josh feel as though even after the apocalypse he still had a bad taste for clothes.

Eli really was getting inside his head.

He put on the rest of his clothes and the sneakers, brushing his teeth and getting ready with the objects that had his name written on a small plate on the sink counter. Looking in the mirror for the last time, Josh touched his cheeks and realized that he looked thinner than he already was, probably because of the content of the IV bag he didn't even know for how long Eli had used on him. 

Honestly, he already expected his friend to make fun of him looking like the fucking Slenderman. He was surprisingly more amused than annoyed by the thought. Maybe losing Eli had that effect.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Josh saw that Eli had already made the bed and removed the medical equipment, now sitting in his massage chair and with his headphone listening to music. Just like when Josh had gone to ask for his costume. He had spent hours and hours wondering what might have happened if he had never made that deal with Eli. 

His friend wouldn't have died but he probably wouldn't be able to call him like that either. Josh realized he would have preferred it that way than seeing his friend bleed to death in his arms.

"I know you're standing there with a face as if your dog have just died, Josh. Do you knew staring is really creepy, right?" Eli teased still with his eyes closed and listening to music, his voice interrupting Josh's thoughts and making him realize that he was standing in front of the door longer than he thought.

"I wasn't staring. Just trying to figure out how you seem to have grown a little since that afternoon" he lied about what he was thinking but it wasn't really a lie at all. And that was clear when his words made Eli take off his headphone and get up. 

Josh wasn't someone who could judge others' height since most people were smaller than him, but he was sure that even if he didn't notice when he hugged Eli, his friend was now a few inches taller what made him really close to Josh's height. That was weird. Besides, it was as if there was something different about him, and it never seemed more obvious when Josh watched something sparkle in his eyes when Eli looked at the shirt he was using.

An unreadable spark that Josh couldn't identify but that made a shiver go up his spine.

"I got the message, Eli" he grinned and went back to get the clothes he'd left in the bathroom. Feeling Eli's gaze on his back all the time as he put them in the laundry hamper and faced his friend again.

"What?" Eli asked and if Josh didn't know better, he would say his friend was suddenly tense. So he shrugged and sat in the other massage chair, "This t-shirt. You sprayed graffiti with words like these all over the mall a while ago and despite what you thought at the time, I saw it. So don't worry, I'll give it back" answering as if it were obvious and watching the previous tension leave his friend. Or maybe he was imagining it all the time.

"Oh, no problem. I like to make it clear what belongs to me" he said and smirked at Josh, who was too busy trying to figure out what his friend meant when Eli grabbed a packet of chips and a can of soda. Throwing it at Josh who picked it up with difficulty as Eli sat on the bed and in front of him. 

"I still don't get how the hell you your mind works, Eli." he said shaking his head and giving a small smile as he began to eat the chips and drink the soda. Eli wouldn't be who he was if Josh understood how he thought. "What can I do? It's part of my charm and I know you like me more for that" he shrugged and leaned back against the headboard, winking at Josh.

"Yeah, you grew on me. Like mold" he grinned and watched Eli laughing as crossing his arms. Not one of his sarcastic or mocking laughs, but a sincere one that made Eli look younger than he was. Josh realized he liked that.

"So, Josh, how the hell did you and your girlfriend went from lovebirds separated by cruel fate to her giving you a gift concussion, some bruises and then chaining you to her throne like a dog? Not that you didn't look like a lovely puppy but just out of curiosity" his friend's words immediately made him freeze for a few seconds, his face changing to a neutral expression.

"Well, I'll tell you if you tell me this, how did you took me off there? Sam didn't seem very willing to let me go when she talked to me" he questioned knowing he was diverting the subject but Eli had done the same by not saying how the hell he was alive, and Josh hadn't mentioned it anymore even though his curiosity was killing him. It wasn't as if coming back from the dead was normal now, even during the fucking apocalypse, so he couldn't be blamed.

"Okay, I get that, too personal and painful. So let me start, after all, I didn't tell you almost anything about how I saved your lovely ass so far, right? It wasn't really exciting at all, I went to Sam and offered something she wanted in exchange for you" Josh rolled his eyes at Eli's first words, but that soon changed when he heard what his friends had done.

"What? Just like that?" he asked raising an eyebrow, clear doubt in his voice. He really couldn't understand how Sam would let him go like this, she seemed pretty committed to keeping him and making him suffer.

"Yeah. Why? Are you doubting my amazing negotiating skills, Joshie?" Eli sneered and smirked, leaning off the headboard and propping his elbows on his thighs as Josh considered what he said and the nickname. At least was better than dick.

"No. I mean, maybe. Okay, yeah. What did you offer her? And did she just accept it without even trying anything like hurting or threatening you?" Not that Josh had seen Sam as a dictator since the jocks looked pretty happy under her command, but now she didn't look like the kind of girl who would accept a deal if Eli didn't have something she really wanted. 

And yet, even Josh knew she would rather take this information from Eli than accept a deal.

"Oh, that hurt, Joshie! Are you really doubting me?" Eli put a hand on his chest and pouted in false indignation as Josh looked at him like he wanted to say, _stop with the bullshit_ , "Oh, right. I can't tell you exactly what information I offered her, because you know, it's complicated" Eli winked "But it was just like that. It took a bit of persuasion but she said exactly those words 'So take him.' And I did it!".

He looked into his friend's eyes and couldn't help but feel that he was leaving some outside. But at the same time, there was no reason for Eli not to tell him unless the information he had given was something Josh wouldn't like Sam to know. No, he wouldn't do that. 

"Okay, I understand, I also know you wouldn't have said anything to her that would hurt me or the others. You aren't like that. Not like before" he said and hoped that when he looked at Eli and saw his expression change to an unreadable one, he would confirm that. After all, they were friends now. Eli had since that afternoon, proved to be better than he and the others had ever imagined, especially after saving him without having to. And Josh would trust that, he would trust his friend.

"I could have. In the past. But, you're right about one thing, I wouldn't give her information that would hurt you, and consequently, your little friends. So don't lose your pretty head, Joshie, we are friends now" Eli said the first words seriously as if they were a distant past before smiling at Josh when he said they were friends. 

"Yeah, we are" he nodded and leaned back in the chair, watching his friend do the same with the headboard before putting on his headphones while Josh finished eating the chips and sipping his soda. They spent some time like this, with Josh feeding and observing as Eli was leaning with his eyes closed and listening to music, looking more relaxed than he had ever expected him to be close to him. 

And he liked it. The calming feeling that it came with that. Almost as if they weren't trying to survive after the damn apocalypse.

But if Eli opened his eyes and saw him staring, this time he didn't know he would be able to say that he wasn't doing that or to say that maybe it wasn't creepy.

Josh finished eating after some minutes, feeling better even though still a little weak. Realizing that he could already stand a bit well when he got up to put the packet and the can in the trash, he decided to go to Eli so they could see his friends. He missed the calm energy and random conversation with Wesley, who had been by his side after all. He longed for Angelica, with her crazy and not always morals plans, the bad words and her dark, sarcastic humor that didn't detract her loyalty to Josh even though he'd kicked her out.

He missed Mr Crumble with that madness mixed with her intelligence that only masked the big heart she had, despite what she had become. And then there was Kj and Turbo, that the first he hoped their friendship to grow after that conversation and they fighting together, the mystery around her and what else she could do still captivating Josh. The second was certainly not close to Josh but because of his relationship with Wes, he felt that just as things changed with Eli so could it with Turbo. 

Deep in his heart and something he would deny, a stupid part of him still thought that maybe, just maybe, with Sam too. He shook his head and decided that first he had to see his friends, he had set them aside for Sam before and he wouldn't do it again.

So he moved and approached his friend, calling his name twice "Eli! Eli!", but the music was probably too loud for him to hear Josh's voice. Then he put his hand on Eli's shoulder and saw his eyes open, his brow furrowing in confusion but soon he was smirking at him before quickly getting out of bed. Which made Josh pull back a few inches and take the hand off his shoulder.

"Another favor, Joshie? Last time I kind of ended up dead so go slow with the demands" he joked as he put the headphones on the headboard. Shit, he still had to talk to Eli about his death but now that could wait. 

"Actually, I was wondering if you could tell me where the others are?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his head "I know this place is probably one of your secrets and they shouldn't know about it, but I can even let you blindfold me until we get to them" he joked and smiled.

"Well, you see, Joshie…" Eli chuckled nervously as he passed him and walked toward the door, turning to face Josh "Maybe you should spend some time here because of your health. You know, for your recovery and such. I'm sure your little friends will be fine without you for a while".

"What do you mean, Eli?" he smiled and put his left hand on his friend's shoulder "I'm better, thanks to you. I know I'm not 100% but I'm sure I'm fine enough to see my friends" he explained and watched Eli cross his arms, licking his lips.

"It won't matter if something happens to you, right? You've spent three days sleeping and healing so maybe you should get more rest just to make sure you don't lose your shit. Your friends can wait, I'm sure, Joshie" Eli insisted and Josh frowned. There was something wrong.

"Eli, we're at your mall. Here is probably one of the safest places in this city, because of you. Because of your fucking traps and intelligence. And if I slept for three days it means my friends must be worried about me. I have to see them, so why shouldn't I?" he said maybe louder than he wanted to but then he looked into Eli's eyes, being sure that he wasn't asking the right questions.

"It's not about these things, is it? You don't want me to see them, right?" he took a few steps back, releasing Eli's shoulder and continuing when his friend didn't answer him. "Why? Why wouldn't you want that, Eli?"

"I'm sorry Joshie, but it's not about what I want, it's about what I can't let you do" his friend crossed his arms, approaching Josh, "And I can't leave you near them. Not when they can't guarantee your safety as I can" he said, and seemed genuinely concerned even when he smiled in an almost dark way. Something was definitely wrong.

"What the hell are you talking about, Eli? They tried to protect me when Sam kidnapped me and I'm sure they also tried everything to save me" he stated and did not back down when facing his friend. He understood that maybe because he was Eli's only friend besides Mavis he might be being overly protective, but he needed to see the others

"Try. This is the fucking keyword, Joshie! They tried to protect you and help you but I did both. I, not them. And before you suspect, no I didn't do it because I had something to gain from it but because I care about you!" Eli said seeming to try to convince him and before he might think he was making an attempt to manipulate him, now it was different. And it only proved it when Eli put a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes, "I can't leave you with them, Joshie. I'm sorry"

"And I don't need your permission, Eli! ”he stated angrily with a hint of sadness in his voice, something he didn't want to let on. So he touched his friend's hand "Although, we are still friends. So when I come back, and I will come back, we should talk. But now, I need to see the others" he said with a knot in his stomach and took the hand of his shoulder, looking down before passing Eli and heading for the door. 

But when he held the doorknob and tried to open the door, he realized he couldn't. It was fucking locked.

Then the moment he turned around, he saw Eli raise his right arm up while still facing away from him, the key in his hand as he slowly turned to face Josh. His expression clearly sad but determined. "You can't go, Joshie. And as I said, I can't let you do that"

"Eli, give me the key... please" he asked reaching out and approaching his friend as he took a few steps closer to the massage chair to the left of the bed. "Please, Eli. I'll be fine with them just give me the key!"

"Take it from me if you want the key so badly. Because I won't give you, Joshie" Eli said smirking as he closed his hand with the key in his fist, and though the last thing Josh wanted was to fight him after all he had done for him. After he saved and cared for him, he had to see his friends. He would go back to Eli but now he had to get out of here.

Then he stepped toward Eli and grabbed his arm with both hands, trying to open his hand as his friend resisted and gripped the collar of his shirt to try to push him away. "Give me the key!" he shouted and saw Eli do the same "I won't give it to you, so put your shit together and calm down, Josh Wheeler!"

They clung to each other more and more, Josh trying to get the key and Eli trying to stop him. This caused them to end up walking toward one of the glass tables with clothes without realizing they were doing it. It was already too late when the two of them tripped over something soft, surprise in their faces as Josh realized he would be impacted when they fell, but even at that situation being happy it was him and not Eli.

He closed his eyes and accepted his fate just so that he felt the arms he was holding break free faster than they should from his grip - as if it could have happened anytime - and move around his torso, his head going to a warm chest as he heard the glass shattering beneath them, almost didn't feeling the impact. Something dampened the fall, no, someone did it.

Josh opened his eyes and realized he was on top of Eli but what made him freeze was the sight of blood staining the pieces of glass and soaking the floor. Eli's blood. "No, no, no, no. Noo!" he whispered desperately as he got off his friend and crawled on his belly to his left side.

The moment he laid eyes on all the blood, having flashbacks of that afternoon as he hesitated to touch Eli, his hands shaking. Josh shoved the guilt and fear that nearly overwhelmed him and grasped Eli's hand, gently turning his friend's head only to see shards of glass spiked in the back of his neck. Desperately he put the fingers of his other hand on Eli's throat, tears already rolling down his cheeks as he felt no pulse. He had done it. He had killed Eli. 

No, it couldn't be. 

He couldn't be dead again.

"No, no, please no. Eli, please, wake up" he begged even knowing he wouldn't wake up and scream with him for what he had done. He wouldn't hear his voice or one of his sarcastic comments and jokes. And it was all his fault. "I'm so sorry, Eli. I'm really sorry".

He cried as he nestled his face into his friend's shoulder, gently holding Eli's face and squeezing his hand even more, "Please come back to me. I can't lose you again. I will stay with you if you come back, I won't leave you. Just please, don't leave me!" he kept begging already knowing that none of this would happen. 

He had lost Eli.

But then he felt Eli's hand move against his and when he looked down, he noticed that black veins were taking over his friend's arms and neck. "What the fuck...?" he questioned and tried to move away from his friend's body only to feel the hand he held gripping his throat now, choking him as he whispered "Eli?"

"Not him actually" he heard what seemed to be a cold version of Eli's voice, his eyes widening when he saw his friends' eyes open, black as the darkness staring at him when he smiled mockingly. Josh tried to fight but soon he was lifted by the neck and flung onto the bed, quickly glancing over to where Eli just to see this monstrous version of his friend tearing the shards of glass from the back of his neck with his bare hand.

_Fuck_

He thought the moment he saw the creature snapping its neck and growling at him, unable to do anything when even trying to pull away he felt two hands gripping his ankles and pulling him to the edge of the bed. 

"No, no, noo!" he said with fear as he struggled to move away again from what was in his friend's body, but then he felt a hand with what looked like claws in his throat. It was firm enough to hold him in place but still not choking him. Even as he struggled to keep his hands from being held above his head and Eli who wasn't really Eli, sat on his waist and immobilized him as he lay above him, pinning him with his torso and a strength he shouldn't have had. 

"Quiet, human!" he cringed and turned his head to the side as he heard it being ordered clearly as a threat in his ear, the tips of the claws pressed on his wrists and neck causing him to stop fighting. Trying to keep still, he remembered his father's lessons on how to survive finding predators and now he knew he had no way to run, show himself or fight, so he struggled to control his body because of his fear.

Of course he was afraid. He had known a lot of scary shit after the fucking apocalypse, but he was terrified of the presence of what took Eli's body. But now, the surviving part of his mind told him, he had to do what he did best: survive. So Josh breathed as slowly as he could and listened to his heart rate return to normal, leaving his limbs relaxed and complacent. He did his best to bare his neck and not look threatening to the pair of fangs above his carotid artery. 

"Good boy. This is much better when you're not tempting me to rip off a piece of you, isn't it?" his friend's distorted voice praised him and asked still close to his ear, Josh being able to feel the fanged smile so close to his skin. "I asked a question, human, so answer!"

"Yeah-h, it's b-better" he stammered even not wanting to, but calming down when he caught a glimpse of the smile returning to Eli's modified face. 

That was good. If the creature was happy it meant it wouldn't kill him for now.

"Hahaha, I know what you're thinking but I won't kill you, human. Even if I should do that after what you did to my dear Eli!" the creature sneered and gave a cruel, cold laugh. The last part arousing pure guilt on Josh again but also curiosity. "I-I didn't want to hurt him, not after losing him. But why would you care?" he said honestly and risked asking, feeling the hand go from his throat to his chin and forcing him to face the creature.

"Because I'm part of him, idiot!" the creature growled causing his eyes to widen. "And you didn't want to, did you? That doesn't change the fact that if it weren't for me you would have killed your friend! One you don't deserve" the voice said acidly and with pure poison in its voice, but it wasn't like what he said was a lie. 

Josh had no idea what it was in Eli's body but had saved him when Josh killed him. And that was the truth. He had made stupid mistakes but this time he would have killed someone if it wasn't for that creature. Not someone, his mind said, Eli. He deserved the death it wanted from him.

"I know, I know what I did... and I'm really sorry" he confessed with unshed tears as he stared into the darkness of those black eyes, "But that's not enough, is it? Not after what I did. So why don't you kill me? It's what you want, isn't it?"

"What do you mean, human?" the creature in Eli's body asked looking angry as it clenched Josh's wrists to the point of it started to hurt, the claw tips carving into his chin as he clenched his teeth not to complain "Is this some shitty manipulation or reverse psychology?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that" he denied and tried to show that he was being honest. He obviously didn't want to die but he deserved it, so why to stop it from doing the right thing? Who knows if he wouldn't hurt his friend if he stayed alive? "I killed Eli. You saved him despite... despite what you are. I deserve this. I deserve this for what I did to my friend"

He felt a shiver ran up his spine when the last thing he saw before his head was turned to the side by the grip on his chin, was the creature with his friend's face looking thoughtful but still ferocious. 

"Close your eyes, human" and he did it. Finding comfort in the fact that if his friends found out about it or even Eli saw what he did, the creature looked like it would protect his friend anyway. Besides, maybe after he was gone things would be all right. He wanted to fix things, all the shit he did and live rather than survive but he had done something to deserve it. 

Then he chose to relax even as the hand on his chin held his left cheek almost gently, probably to hold him in place and give more access to the creature. Josh prepared himself for the attack and the pain he knew would come when he felt a breath against his neck, but none of it came... only the creature's voice reaching his ears. 

"You're lucky to be different, human. Now I understand why Eli chose you. The humans I met would have begged for their lives or wouldn't acknowledge their mistakes and regret it. Maybe you deserve to belong to us, Joshie" he cringed and wasn't even capable to process what the creature said when the last sentence came with a bite on his shoulder, gritting his teeth before the pain became numb and the body above him gave him some space.

He was feeling sleepy. Almost as if his head was beneath water.

But still Josh was capable to feel his wrists being released and the hand on his cheek turn his face back. And even with his eyes closed and trying to understand what just happened, he heard and recognized his friend's real voice. It was a worried and confused tone, but was Eli's.

"Joshie?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I'm alive!! I first want to apologize for taking almost a month to post this chapter but it has been a long and hard month for me. I had some important tests and my school is killing me, and with that my anxiety decided it would be a good time to hit me like a truck. 
> 
> So how this chapter is emotionally complex in relation to Eli, because he goes through anger, denial, sadness and acceptance. Anyway, I tried my best and my beta told me everything was fine, I trust her and I hope she is right.
> 
> I'm really thankful for the amazing support and for all the opinions shared with me (again, don't stop please bc it is really was motivates me). I would appreciate more kudos and comments (can be constructive criticisms, compliments or doubts, just write it guys) the wait for your comments it's my life, and if you could, please no hate.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 5

Eli felt his conscience return to reality and take control of his body again, immediately feeling a twinge of pain in his head and a warm body that he apparently was holding against his own. He tried to remember what was going on before he was unconscious but the last memory he had was to start arguing with Josh and then fighting against him, nothing more.

_ Fuck, that sure couldn't be good. _

That shit proved correct when he opened his eyes, blinking a few times to get used to the light just so that the first thing he saw was Josh with his eyes closed, cringing and with his hands trapped above his head, the face turned to the side. All by Eli's hands.

And as much as he might have liked it at another time, they were very close, too fucking close. With Eli obviously pressing Josh against the mattress with his torso and the stench of fear, guilty and anxiety exhaling from his friend, that nevertheless seemed to be letting himself be completely on Eli's mercy, on purpose. 

Again, he really could have enjoyed this situation on another occasion but something was so fucking wrong.

_ What the fuck did you do? _ He asked worried in his mind, since he obviously hadn't done any of that, but there was no answer.

And Josh wasn't in no shitty way, okay.

So in pure shock and concern, Eli tried as gently as possible to stop pressing his friend and let go of his wrists and face, getting off Josh and kneeling on the bed next to him.

"Joshie?" he called his friend by the nickname he had created when the other woke up just over an hour ago, which came as a loving and provocative way to call Josh. Now, he was watching his friend that looked stunned and sleepy, open his eyes, unshed tears into it when he said his name, with such hope. "Eli?"

Josh seemed to be about to cry, his expression looking so relieved when he suddenly threw himself at Eli, who didn't know what to do again and just stayed still. Incredible how he was a fucking genius, but of course his mind had to freeze when he needed this. With his forehead pressed against his shoulder and his hands gripping his arms like a lifeline, Josh started to cry and mutter something he couldn't understand several times, like a mantra.

From that moment on, the stench of guilt emanating from his friend increased, which was now so strong that it was as if he had killed someone. Now in desperation for having no idea of what had caused this, Eli placed one hand on Josh's back, easily pulling the other's body closer to him, and the other on Josh's neck, stroking his hair. 

_ Answer me, damn it. What happened to him? _ He shouted angrily this time, but again the same thing happened. No answers. He was really going to find a way to kill what was inside of him if nothing was what he kept hearing. It wasn't possible that the creature that tormented him these days decided not to be available now.

His friend slowly started to calm down with Eli's actions, which he didn't know why but felt that something was influencing Josh's behavior, maybe something that he did but didn't remember, he thought concerned and a bit scared of himself as he continued to awkwardly hug and caress his friend. Eli knew it wasn't a good thought to have, but he really hoped his friend was as bad as he looked so he wouldn't have any memory of this.

What? He couldn't be judged for any of this shit. He cared about Josh and after he was resurrected it was as if his instincts of protection and possessiveness had surfaced, all focused on his friend, but he was Eli fucking Cardashyan. 

He had a reputation, even a shitty one, to maintain.

As he was lost in his thoughts, Eli barely noticed that Josh had passed out on his lap, his limbs going limp and his breathing slowing down before Eli tried as gently as possible to lay him on the bed, clearly worried with his friend as he did so. Shit, if things went on like this Josh would be giving him gray hair in a few months and he was too beautiful and young to it. Now he understood what his mom meant.

He really was sounding like an adult. Scaring shit.

But as soon as he managed to put his friend on the bed, Josh's face fell to the side and the right side of the other's neck was exposed, at the same time Eli being able to smell the intoxicating scent of Josh's blood. Damn, how the hell hadn't he smelled blood, especially Josh's? He thought as he took a deep breath, trying to make his hunger fuck off while pulling the collar of Josh's long sleeve shirt away, then seeing a bite mark on his friend's shoulder. 

It had been strong enough to penetrate the skin and make blood drain from it, and Eli knew it had been him who did it, or indeed, his other part. Even if he didn't taste any different in his mouth, he would have known if he had ingested more than a few drops of the blood that looked so delicious from his friend. Fuck.

This could only mean that Josh not only saw his counterpart but was also attacked for it. No, no, fucking no!! This wasn't how things should have happened, Eli felt his heart sink at the thought of his friend being afraid and hating him. Because of course that must be how he was feeling, and Eli was already freaking out at the idea that he had already lost Josh. That he was alone again, only with the Mavis he imagined an a creature inside him to talk so he wouldn't go crazy.

He didn't want that.

But any thoughts left his mind when Eli also smelled something fucking with his friend's brain chemicals, interfering in a way that was certainly not normal. And whatever was doing that came from the bite he caused, he didn't know how or why, but he felt it. So Eli looked away from Josh's new wound because he knew he could lose control if he continued to look, trying to organize his mind.

Right, he had to calm down even though he could feel something settling like a parasite in his friend's brain.

_ Okay, I'm not freaking out anymore, but if you don't fucking answer me right now, I swear our agreement will be broken and I'll lock myself up somewhere, ensuring that we both die of hunger!! _

**Oh, shut up, Eli. You are being a dramatic bitch and you know it.** The voice sneered at him but it didn't seem to be enjoying himself as it did when saying said that kind of thing before. It actually seemed angry.

_ Dramatic bitch? _ He shouted with indignation.  _ Look here, you little shit, I have great reasons to be furious and you know it. Starting with the fact that my mind is completely blank about what happened to my friend, since the last thing I remember is arguing and fighting with Josh. And talking about him, could you explain to me why the hell, you pervert, I was holding him, he looked like a frightened deer and I bit his fucking shoulder? _

**_Okay, Drama Queen, first if it weren't for me you would have died again, so after that explanation I want a big thank you._** It said smugly, only letting Eli even more confused and with a knot in his belly. He couldn't have died again. **Yes, you did, I know because I had to fucking fix you. Now second, you don't remember what happened because just like the first time you got screwed, I didn't allow you to remember your death. Your mind is still in the process of becoming one with me, so that kind of thing is still overwhelming** **to your brain.**

_ Wait, wait, wait. When and why did I die? And how the hell did I die if I got you? I assumed you were immortal or some kind of powerful supernatural shit since you fucking resurrected me, so you should have stopped me from, well, dying.  _ Eli knew he was losing his shit when he screamed again, but he really couldn't help it. The stress and the horrible feeling of dying once had been terrible, and now it had happened again.

**Your friend killed you.** Those words were said dryly and were exactly what made him freeze, making him hope that he had heard wrong because he only had exactly one friend. And Josh wouldn't do that to him, he was too fucking softie to that.

_ What the hell did you just said? _

**I said your human pet killed you. When you started fighting things went, what you would call, a little too far, and then you two fell on that glass table and a big piece pierced the back of your neck. You died on impact so at least it wasn't slow and painful this time.** Eli could imagine the voice shrugging when it said that, and right after he looked at the glass table, he felt his memories of what happened coming back to him.

_ He clearly remembered him and Josh fighting, clinging to each other while arguing and his friend trying to get the key as Eli didn't plan to let that happen. He would keep Josh safe, even if the other didn't want to. But it all went out of control when they tripped over the stuffed charizard he bought, the destine really was a little bitch, and Eli saw that Josh knew he would be impacted but just closed his eyes and pulled Eli against his chest.  _

_ No, he wouldn't let his friend die after all the work he had to rescue and care for him, hell no.  _

_ Then letting go of Josh's grip like he could this entire time, Eli turned their bodies and switched places with him, protecting the other with his body just before he felt the glass shatter on his back and neck. That was his last memory before the world became dark.  _

Eli returned to the present in panic and breathing quickly, immediately putting his hand on the back of his neck and trying to calm down as he realized that there was nothing but his skin and hair there. He sighed in relief and rubbed his eyes, looking around and watching the environment to make his mind understand that he was alive, that it was just a memory. 

Just a remembrance. 

Only that.

With that Eli managed to force himself to normal, after all it wasn't as if he was still dead. Exactly, dying was fucking traumatizing and a complete shit but he was alive. That was the only thing that mattered.

Eli could still feel the sensation of dozens of pieces of glass against the skin on his back and one stuck in the back of his neck, and that would certainly give him even worse shitty nightmares at night, but he had already been through a lot of shit and would deal with it. He always did. Eli survived to all the crazy things that happened after the apocalypse hit his door, died twice and lived with an insane monster that was now part of him, he could handle all this emotional shit.

He wouldn't let this fuck with his head and make him end his friendship with Josh, after all, even after he remembered what happened between him and his friend, he knew he would die again if it meant that Josh would stay alive.

Eli really was getting too soft, but if it was just for Josh, everything was fine. He didn't even know how he would react when he woke up, probably with fear and hate directed to him, but he knew that his friend was the only one. The one he would trust and risk enough to care about.

So getting out of bed and walking to the what used to be a glass table, he crouched beside the pieces of glass and picked up the Charizard, unshed tears in his eyes. It was really ridiculously ironic that the gift he wanted to give Josh to help him, ended up causing his death and making his friend blame himself for it, he laughed dryly thinking about that.

**Look, dickface, I get what you see in him but he rightly blamed himself. You died for him, the pet killed you.** The voice hissed in his head and Eli growled in response.  _ He didn't kill me, idiot. I chose to save him, okay? It was my fucking choice and I don't regret it, after all you brought me back. So thanks, and enjoy this because I am not going to say it again. _ Je snorted and stood up, going toward the bed to put the Charizard next to Josh.

**Hmm, whatever, but I'm still mad at him even if I don't want to eat him as much as I used to. And I will accept this because I know you are an asshole and you won't thank me again soon. Now continuing my story, I had to show your pet who's in charge, since it was already time for him to know your other side.**

_And that is why you pinned him to bed and bit him, really? You knew that I wanted to show you to him when when he wouldn't lose his shit. Then you still say that I'm the dramatic bitch, right?_ Eli criticized and rolled his eyes while picking up medical supplies to clean the blood coming from the bite on Josh's shoulder. Even if all a part of him wanted was to experience more than a few drops of that same blood.

But he wouldn't do that. He was in control now. 

**You don't stay upset about that, do you? It could have been worse if you didn't know, I could have taken off a piece or a member of him. It was just a fucking bite.** The voice complained and Eli rolled his eyes for the second time, it was as exasperating as arguing with a child but a psychopath one that eats people. He finished picking up supplies from one of the mini-freezers and the other glass table, looking at the pieces of glass and deciding that he would clean this mess and his blood afterwards. 

Eli would do that because Josh was his priority, not because he felt a shiver run up his spine at the sight of where he died again. Maybe the both.

"Of course, just a fucking bite. That in itself is bad enough since I warned you that he was over the fucking limit, completely and you knew it, dammit!!" he complained almost screaming in his head as he sat next to Josh and put the supplies on the bed, closing his eyes for a moment and concentrating on not letting himself be controlled by the wonderful smell of his friend's blood. Eli realized that he was already learning to keep his hunger at the end of his mind, maybe because his other part had eaten yesterday or through practice.

He knew he was acting too calm about that, as if all that shit was normal, and he didn't like it. Ghoulies? It was like playing a video game about zombies but truly deadly. Crazy teenagers and cannibalistic adults? His traps and intelligence would do the job. Loneliness and fear of not being loved? He would suppress all those emotions in his mental bag and put in on the edge of his mind.

But accepting the fact that now a part of him was an insane monster, he could literally resurrect and that he scared the shit out of his only friend and bit him to make it even better? Oh no, that was too much.

**Boring hypocrite. You only take these deals seriously when you're not fooling the people you're doing it with.** It said with amusement, as if it was aware of what Eli's reaction would be. He didn't doubt that it was.  _ You can't say anything about it, I was just smarter than Josh's friends but you wanted to eat them.  _ Eli accused with a sigh as he carefully removed the long sleeve t-shirt his human was wearing, really hating that his sign to show that Josh was his had to be removed at that moment. 

Luckily he had prepared a variety of other clothes with the same inscription, and by the way his friend didn't understand what this really meant, at least that wouldn't be a problem. Eli smiled with that thought. Then he threw the bloodstained garment to the corner of the room and now with nothing obstructing his view, he looked at Josh's lean and slightly muscled body, clearly seeing the marks from where his teeth pierced his friend's flesh.

**Okay, you have a point,** the voice took a time to respond, probably because like Eli, admitting that someone else was right even sarcastically was unpleasant. They had this in common.  **But this is what I was made to do, kill, maim, destroy. And still, it was just a harmless bite, it won't kill him. In fact, he can survive because of that.** He felt his thoughts freeze for a moment with what the voice said about being made for it and about the bite. 

Eli had heard it talk about how it was created to kill and consume before, but he never really paid any attention to what seemed to be just another of it's stupid habits, and he couldn't be blamed for that, it's not like he would take seriously whatever his psychopath part talked. But now he knew this was more than he thought and could be important to better understand that part of him. Like how the hell he was capable of doing what he could now and why this being was inside him, and he would be sure to ask about it after he took care of Josh.

_ What do you mean he can survive because of that?  _

_ And don't you dare to think that I didn't smell that something is messing up with his brain, because of what you did. _ He accused dryly, more because of what he was feeling when he observed the bite than because he was angry with his counterpart. Eli hated how he felt himself purring like a fucking animal as he observed his mark on his friend's shoulder, his possessive side resounding in happiness at knowing that even if the wound healed, the marks would always be proof that Josh belonged to Eli.

Shit, he was so fucked up. And the worst was that he couldn't make himself want to hate it.

**It's because you're learning not to deny yourself anymore, idiot. Deep down, you know what that bite is and what it is doing to your human.** It said smugly, and Eli knew he couldn't say it was a complete lie. When he looked at the bite and smelled what was in his friend's brain, two words immediately coming to his head. Claim. Property. _No, I don't know what you're talking about, dammit!_

Eli denied as he shook his head to concentrate on what he should be doing, so he took a bottle of antiseptic and a cotton box, wetting a piece and starting to slowly clean the blood and the wound.  _ God, the smell of alcohol has never been such useful shit. _

**Cut the bullshit, Eli. That bite wasn't my fucking whim, I did it so that any shitty ghoulie or mutant animal would know that your pet is off limits. In fact, our pet now.** If that other part of him had a face, Eli would swear he could feel a smile on its face right on his neck. But even if what it was saying wasn't just an excuse, for the first time he might think that it was really keeping Josh safe as he wanted, and not just enduring his friend's presence. 

_ You're not kidding, are you? Because you don't like Josh like I do, so why would you do that? Why have you now decided that it belongs to you too? _ He snarled and struggled not to break the bottle of antiseptic in his hand or lose focus on what he was doing. And honestly, trying to have a civil conversation with the creature was really disconcerting.

**I can change my mind just like you, idiot, and so I made sure that no one could take Josh away from us. This is what you feel messing with his brain and also why he passed out, the substance that I use to make our victims weakened and something to make his mind recognize who he belongs to. Just like all the ghoulies and fucked up creatures out there will do.** The voice finished explaining shortly after Eli had finished cleaning the bite, placing the pieces of blood-stained cotton in a box beside him before he bandaged the wound.

When he heard what was really going on, Eli was already screaming, this time out loud and not just in his head. _What did you just say? I can't believe you fucking did other of your crazy things to drug and manipulate his mind! That is exactly why you are not trusted close to him._ Eli concluded putting one hand over his eyes and running the other through his hair, since the situation was worse than he thought.

It didn't matter if Josh liked him and blamed himself so much for his death that he reacted in those ways when he saw him, or if for some miracle he didn't hate or was afraid of Eli after seeing what he saw, there was no way he would forgive him when he told him these things. But what if he understood and wasn't upset? How would Eli know that this wasn't just the substance that his counterpart had placed in the other's brain and not what he really felt? And if so, shouldn't he let himself be relieved because that's not how he wanted to be friends with Josh or would he accept the easy way in which Josh would accept him because of a drug?

**You need to calm down, Eli, you're freaking out for something stupid, what I did it's not what you think.** It said seeming to feel his anguish and strangely caring, but it didn't appease his anger or despair. 

_ No, this is what you cannot understand even after watching us, friends shouldn't be manipulating the mind or drugging each other. _ Eli shouted as he linked his hands with Josh's, resting his forehead on the back of his friend's hand in defeat.  _ It's a breach of trust, worse than just lying or omitting things from him. And Josh will never forgive me for that when he finds out.  _ He admitted desperately and with fear creeping into his heart when he closed his eyes. 

Things had gotten fucked up quickly. It was like when his little cousins visited him and his parents told him to look after them, and for a few minutes he took his eyes off them, the shit was done and some part of the house was a mess. One hour he and Josh were smiling and laughing with each other, and now he was here, a whirlwind of emotions surrounding him and with his mind trying to understand and analyze the situation, looking for a solution.

**You may be fucking right, but I didn't do what you're thinking. We are not able to manipulate minds, Eli, at least not for now so don't overdo it. I just made our human's mind let his emotions become stronger, so any feeling of friendship he feels for you will create a bond between you two idiots, not allowing you to command him like you assumed** . The voice was clearly exasperated as it said this, but at the same time patient, knowing the impact that this words would have on him.

And the same moment he heard it, his eyes opened and Eli stopped resting his forehead on the back of Josh's hand, hope but also suspicions clear in his expression.  _ A bond? Like, we are going to have some kind of connection because of what was in the bite?  _ Eli questioned apprehensively, if this was a fucking lie or a shitty joke of his counterpart he didn't know what he would be able to do. 

You don't play with someone's feelings.

**Yes, you can say it will be that way, but actually these things are very unstable and complicated. It's not like I have a complete manual about us, dickhead, some things are just instincts. And we don't always know exactly what they are and we won't be able to control them sometimes.** A humorless laugh could be heard in his head.  **It's how we work, how we should be.**

Eli could lie to himself and say that discovering that at least he wasn't doing something as horrible as manipulating Josh's mind even though a bond, which he wouldn't reject, was created between them didn't leave him relieved, but Eli was too tired of all this shit for that.  _ I still don't understand you, dick, but we have no way of knowing that Josh isn't going to freak out about it either. You must know what he did to his friends when they fooled him, even though he knew they did it because of their fear of losing him. _

**I saw it in your memories but things are different now, Eli, and after the conversation he and I had, I think there are few things that he wouldn't do for you. Although you two idiots are stupid enough to miss it.** The voice laughed and not in the cold, mocking way Eli was used to hear, and he couldn't help but smile a little with that.

He could handle a bond, and before, the conversation he would have to have with his friend, but it was better than what he would have to tell to him some minutes ago. "Now I can only wait for you to wake up, Sleeping Beauty, and hope that you won't hate me for all this" Eli smiled with fear of the future but wouldn't show it now while he released Josh's hand, being careful to put on another long sleeve shirt, this time dark blue, with his inscription on his friend.

_ Okay, now that we solved all of that it's my turn to establish some new rules and ask questions, questions that I should have asked a while ago, and you have a lot to answer. _ Eli took a can of soda from one of the mini-fridges and sat on the massage chair, believing that watching Josh's chest rise and fall would be a good sight for the conversation he would have.

**And then you say I'm the pervert, you creepy.** This was said with indignation as Eli opened the can.  _ I'm not being creepy, after all, looking doesn't hurt anyone. I'm just looking to see if the substance that YOU put into it will have any adverse effects.  _ He shrugged and smirked before taking a sip of the soda, enjoying the burning sensation that ran down his throat from how cold it was.

**Of course, if you really believe this is why you are watching him, I’ll pretend I do too, idiot.**

_Okay, enough of you distracting me from what we really have to talk about._ Eli stated. _What happened today cannot be repeated._ _Because aside from the fact that what you did wasn't as bad as it could have been, I was completely lost when I came back, I looked like a fucking dizzy cockroach._ He complained more to emphasize what he was saying than because he was still mad about it.

**And what do you suggest me to do about it, genius?** the voice questioned sarcastically in the same way that Eli did when his PE teacher told him that he couldn't let him sell his products hidden during his classes, or miss this classes to sell them. A guy had to make money somehow.

_ I don't know, maybe letting me remember everything you did while taking care of my fucking body, since that's what it is! I might even be able to make suggestions when you're in control just like you do with me. It's pretty simple actually.  _ Eli suggested and raised an eyebrow, finishing to drink the soda and getting up to throw it in the trash and clean this room. 

He really just wanted to rest and watch his friend after all, but it was better to organize things before Josh woke up. And when that happened, Eli planned to have all the information he needed and everything he could under control.

**Simple? Sure, you think it's that easy, don't you, Mr. know-it-all? But it's not like that if you plan on trying to get rid of me, I know you already thought about it, or not getting too involved with your wild side, after all though we are one and I'm a part of you, I'm still me and you're still you, Eli.** He even thought of denying that he had really analyzed how he could end this part of him if he needed to, but it would be completely useless when that same part could read his thoughts. 

And as much as it made Eli uncomfortable, it was still a bit interesting to have someone who knew everything about him, that he couldn't lie to or hide something from. 

_ Wow, you really explained everything, didn't you? _ Eli said sarcastically before gathering the clothes with bloodstains and separating them from the ones that were just dirty. He was lucky that he learned to wash clothes earlier than most children, sometimes even having to learn to wash bloodstains when he wasn't fast enough to escape.

_ I don't care about the consequences of that, okay? If what I need to have more control over my body even when you're in charge is accepting that this will make me more like you, I'll do it. I will, as you said, stop denying what I'm now. _ Sighing, he realized that stopping fighting his counterpart was easier than he imagined, since Eli felt nothing but a sense of contentment when he said those words. He knew the risk he was taking, but he couldn't make himself care about it.  _ But only as long as you answer me honestly, without omitting anything, if I do it, will I be putting Josh in more danger than before? I trust myself more than I trust you at the moment, but will I be able to do otherwise if I make that decision? _

**You may be asking for more shit than you can handle, Eli, but I know you and I'm more interested and curious to know what we can become, so yes. You can trust me simply because during my conversation with our Josh, I realized why he is your only friend.** The voice said with interest and laughed smugly, making Eli dislike the way it seemed to think he knew Josh more than he did.  _ I know what I can handle it, okay? So because of this conversation, should I be able to trust you? Trusting that you consider him yours as much as he is mine and that that won't change? _

**You asked if you could trust me if I agreed to allow you to remember and participate in what I do when I'm in control, and I answered. Now whether you believe my words or not, it's your fucking business. I don't easily decide who belongs to me, dickface.** His counterpart seemed irritated and indignant at the accusation of Eli, who found this interesting while closing the bags with the clothes already separated and throwing them in a corner. Now he would have to get rid of the remains of dried blood, his blood, on glass from the table.

_ Fine, I get that, _ He raised his hands in surrender.  _ And it seems that we have an agreement, one that we are going to keep the rules of the last one, so don't worry about the food, but that contains new rules regarding our human. _ Eli continued as he picked up the pieces of glass, realizing that the smell of his blood was almost disgusting to him.  _ That is, without biting or drugging him again, because honestly I prefer him awake, unless it is extremely needed and only for his health. Besides, you're only going to deal with him under my supervision now, so don't try anything. _

**You really like to decide the fucking rules, don't you? You never bothered to really ask yourself why we need to eat humans, or if the things I do are not just on a whim. I can be egocentric just like you but not so much.** the voice complained making Eli sincerely think about it. It is obvious that he had already asked himself these questions, just not as directly as that said he had not done.

_ You can tell I had other priorities before, _ Eli blinked when he finished putting the glasses in a small box and grabbed a cloth, spilling some alcohol and ammonia on it and rubbing the stains with disguise.  _ But now we’re having an honest conversation where I have every right to ask the questions, so I’ll do it. Why do you speak as if you were created by someone or something? You always say you were made to kill, maim and devour, and now so I am, but what does that mean? What are you, asshole, besides being a part of me?  _ He questioned and stopped what he was doing for a minute, his fucking curiosity eagerly awaiting an answer. 

Even if before he barely cared about knowing what his counterpart was because of Josh, he felt that knowledge could change things, and maybe to his friend too.

**I don't know, idiot.** Okay, this was not what Eli expected at all. **As I already said, it's not like I have a manual about us, I don't even have any memory if I was something before you woke up in the park, I just know that we are more. More than humans, ghoulies or what the witch is, and that we were made to be superior. It's like the fucking instinct you have to protect your friend, but for me the main emotion I feel is to kill, eat, destroy.** **And you feel it too, Eli, because it also comes from inside you. But I've been the one to stop this from taking over you.** Those words were spoken with an honesty so raw that Eli needed a few more minutes to process everything it said.

He somehow knew it wasn't a lie, but still his biology classes told him it wasn't a good thing. Instincts were common in all animals, including humans, after all that was what guided each individual in nature, some with more influence and another with less. But just as the lions' main instinct was to hunt and reproduce, humans had always been to survive and evolve, the one of that part of him went beyond that. And as much as it worried him, like some shit he was aware that would explode in his face at any moment, those instincts were what made Eli what he was now.

And as Eli looked at the cloth soaked in his own blood and got up, glancing at Josh who looked extremely peaceful lying so vulnerable and oblivious to danger, sleeping in bed with a ray of sunlight over his face. He threw the cloth in the trash and put a bit of alcohol on his hands to clean the remaining stench of his blood, walking over to the bed. 

Eli thought, as he slowly approached, on those athletes he killed and the other teenagers he devoured the night before his friend woke up, and realized that all this time he had just ignored the fact that he was no longer human no matter how much he still acted like one. He talked to his counterpart as if it were a parasite that he used and endured under the circumstances, never as something that actually was just him, that was his dark part that he could no longer deny.

That Eli continued to deny how he knew and liked this feeling that remained even when he was unconscious, the feeling of blood running down his throat and pieces of human flesh were torn through his teeth. He used his friend as a beacon, guarding all of his positive emotions and directing them towards him, like a light amid the darkness that was growing inside him.

And it hadn't worked because even though he pretended he didn't care, that his ambiguous morals could handle it and that he loved the power but not what gave him that, the blood spilling that fed the flame inside him. All of this was a masked lie. A wall he built based on that carefully created mask that he placed between himself and his other side, that seemed to be nothing more than him too, something that made him what he was.

That's why at that moment, Eli realized that if Josh hated him for being who he was, or was afraid of him for that, there was no going back because the creature was only Eli in his darkest form. It was also the only thing that understood him so deeply, that could predict what he was going to do before he even thought about it and was on his side simply because they depended on each other. And mutual dependence was the best deal he could make and the safest alliance as well, because in the end, trust in the creature would be the same as trusting himself.

When he accepted this, Eli immediately felt that heady and intoxicating feeling of contentment, his vision turning red as he could feel his counterpart, but this time as if they were one. It was as if all was in its right place when a whirlwind of emotions and instincts came from the creature to him, those who were his most obscure and he had previously denied, but now he accepted. A weight leaving his shoulders and a sense of accomplishment and relief washing over him with that.

And then he felt like everything was right when in the back of his mind amd he could clearly identify and mentally touch the presence of Josh, like a thread, making his friend almost imperceptibly move on the bed but Eli was too deep to notice. All of his positive emotions seemed to shine around that thread, and Eli knew it would be a perfect balance of both of his sides.

He was feeling his and the creature's instincts seeming to spread through his consciousness like black veins, and at the same time the thread of Josh's presence and what was left of his personality when he was still human, settling down above it. They were no longer Eli and his counterpart, but a complete being now. Their personalities and emotions so completely connected that there was almost no way of knowing where each of them came from.

Eli knew that with that they would become even stronger but also that he would change, even if he would always be Eli Cardashyan, he would change little by little. But for Josh, everything he had that wasn't his new wills would remain, and so for him, Eli would always be his friend. 

_You need me, don't you? But I also need not only your power, but you too, or else I would already be acting like the fucking ghoulies and devoured Josh, right?_ Eli smirked while laughing internally at himself for not having understood this before. _Or I would even be like the school principal and Mrs. Crumble, who are a failed improvement for those who have become ghoulies._ _You are what separates me from them. That's why we are more._

**It took you long enough to understand but at least you did, dumbass.** This was said almost with affection, which disappeared quickly. **Now, will you want to continue with the agreement?**

_ Meh, no, we are completely one now.  _ He smiled darkly as he bent over Josh, leaning with one hand placed beside his head and the other, tracing the features of his human's face with his fingertips.  _ Also, it was a useless shit in fact, you could have broken it when you wanted to and made me forget about it, now I know that. And I know that he will be safe in our hands too, you wouldn't harm what is yours and I could never, even fucking starving, take his life. We will deal with the rest when he wakes up and we talk, and then when we get to hunt again. I plan to participate this time. _

**Are you sure you are prepared for this shit? There is a difference in deciding something and acting on it, because in the moment you feel the pleasure of killing for the first time something will change.** His counterpart seemed genuinely surprised by his new will, and so would Eli if he didn't already understand that there was no choice but to hunt to survive.

Hunting cruel teenagers he met and that survived was a rule but also a bonus.

_ As I already told you, I want to participate and don't lie to me saying that you didn't want this from the beginning. I know you just waited for me to finally accept you, acting like I could keep you in control so I would have to find out by my own how I couldn't. _ He laughed bitterly at his former stupidity, the signs were on his face the whole time he thought before getting away from Josh and standing between his legs. All the time, the way it acted almost like it was bored when he ordered it or when he felt some emotions that weren't his, all were signs that he wasn't as in command as he thought.

**Okay, idiot, you seem to have gotten smarter after we became one, it could be my genius coming to you.** this said arrogantly making Eli roll his eyes and smile when he saw Josh turn to the side, unintentionally hugging the Charizard. It was ridiculously cute and looked like a fucking scene from those romance series.  **As if the two of you didn't seem to be in one, with the drama of your novels included.**

_ Shut up, dick, that's not true. _ Eli would deny that he blushed because of that comment until he was in a grave. He wasn't even human anymore, especially now, and he still felt things as intensely as before. Eli always liked a little chaos but for the first time, the balance seemed very useful.

**Are you going to tell him about our future night outings, Eli?** the question in the voice drove him out of his thoughts, causing him to frown quickly.  _ We could hide it from him just like I did to you, omit this detail, but it wouldn't be right, he has to accept us completely if he really is the friend who suffered for my death. Both times.  _ Eli smiled to hide the stab of fear that threatened to cut his confidence that Josh wouldn't let them down, finding comfort in the fact that the creature didn't seem to be concerned about it.

**He will, you will see.** It advised him and when Eli knew that previously he wouldn't like the creature acting as if it knew Josh better than he did, now he was happy about it. There was no space for envy or jealousy between them, not when Josh belonged to the both of them, and Eli would get used to it.  **Now, you should look after our human. He can lose his shit as soon as he wakes up and will need to be calmed.**

He agreed with that line of thought and knew that even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be physically and emotionally able to let his human leave him, to allow himself to feel that emptiness from before. That's why Eli would have to make sure that his friend didn't want that.

Eli put his arms on the back of his human's knees and another on his back, easily lifting the other bride-style and guaranteeing that the Charizard stayed between Josh's arms and he put him on his back in the middle of the pillows against the headboard. Eli sat with his legs stretched out and crossed, leaning back against the pillows and placing Josh's head on his thigh, slowly running his hand through his friend's hair.

Taking a deep breath, for the first time he tried not to anticipate what would happen when his friend woke up - he did that for the last days, and was tired of it, he had to trust on his friendship with Josh - in fact all he felt was a sense of peace and warmth. But suddenly a thought came to his mind, forcing a question that he had never thought of before in his head.  _ You never told me your name, dick. Do you have one? _

**I certainly didn't expect this shit, but I'm glad you finally decided to care about it since my name isn't creature.** **Honestly, even monster would be better in a scary way.** the voice said mockingly still lightly, his next words surprising Eli. **But the worst thing is that I don't have one, I wasn't human like you, idiot. Maybe I should have one from now on, even if it's not a big deal for beings less emotional than humans, like me.** He was aware that it was pretending not to care about it, he felt it, how a name in someway meant that they were definitely the same and one, so Eli decided to do this favor for that.

_ Yeah, you can choose one perhaps. It could be the name of one of those characters that you found, interesting for technically human representations, in several of the series that you saw in my mind.  _ Eli suggested and moved a few strands of Josh's hair that were glued to the other's forehead, smirking when he saw his human sigh softly as he started to stroke his hair again.

**Hmmmm... I like Eliot. He had a dark being inside him for a while too, and even though I'm more elegant and less crazy than it, I think it's a good parallel to our situation and his. And the biggest difference is that I have a better taste than it too.** Obviously that it would choose a name based on something as complicated as that, Eli had to admit that what was now Eliot, was as odd as he could be in some aspects.

**You can live with that, dickface.**

Eli sighed more and couldn't help but laugh at the thought that this was perhaps the best thing he could live with.  _ Yes, I can and maybe him too, Eliot. _ He spread out on the pillows and glanced at Josh before looking at the window, from where he could feel the rays of sunlight passing through the curtain and hitting him, having a view outside while thinking only of the present. 

How good it felt.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Sorry for making you wait for so long, I'm really sorry, but because of this virus in my country and my job, I didn't have a lot of time to write anything. Still, I really expect you all to like this chapter, and please, pay attention to the pronouns I used, as they show the thoughts and feelings of Eli and Elliot, or just Eli. If you get curious about what Josh felt and why he took the decisions he did in these chapter, the next one will be his pov.
> 
> Thank you all for the incredible support and for all the opinions shared with me (again, don't stop please bc it's really what makes me continue writing and struggling to write each chapter). I would appreciate more kudos and comments (can be constructive criticisms, compliments or doubts, just write it guys) the wait for your comments it's my life, and if you could, please no hate.
> 
> Hope you stay safe and healthy during this quarantine!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 6

  
  


Eli watched the sun begin to set through the window, reminding him of the day in the park. It had been a good day even though he had been fucking murdered in the end, which turned out to be great when he analyzed his current situation. 

Looking at his friend lying on his thigh while stroking his hair, Eli felt that Josh was going to wake up in a few minutes, perhaps because of the new bond between them. He would need to act very carefully when that happened. 

There was no way to predict his friend's reaction, and even though he wasn't going crazy with it like he used to, it was still a doubt that stirred his emotions. Was Josh going to lose his shit, making Eli and Elliot need to contain him. Would he be afraid of them and look at them as if they were freaks?

**Chill, dickhead, you are doing that thing with your mind when you are analyzing all the possibilities and doing drama about that shit.** Elliot warned him looking quite irritated by his internal monologue, but it's not like it was his fault that the other shared his mind with him.  **There is no fucking reason to freak out like that, after all no matter what his reaction is, we will deal with it.**

Elliot was right as much as Eli's brain was alarming him to prepare for all possibilities, to worry about every word and action he would take when Josh woke up. Before he would have done just that, just like he had done it at school and on the streets, but now he didn't want to do it anymore.

If Eli couldn't be himself, all the parts of him that now included Elliot, with the only friend he had, the only one who cared enough when no one did, then there was nothing to be done besides accepting.

**We could keep him with us until he changed his mind, humans are like that, with time passing he would want to stay. And it's not like he can stop us either, so it's a good plan.** Elliot suggested spontaneously, as if he wasn't talking about keeping Josh against his will until he developed that scary Stockholm Syndrome shit. 

_ No, of course this is not a good plan, idiot! That would just make him hate us, okay? It would be worse. As you said before giving this terrible idea, he has to make his choice, otherwise it's not worth it. _ He explained, even though he knew he would have followed Elliot's plan if he hadn't also known this would backfire. He would never hurt Josh, never, but the options were scarce to maintain who was his.

Great, his fucking grey moral values were gone and replaced by whatever limits Elliot shared with him now.

**I still think we must keep that plan as a last option at least.** Elliot snorted in annoyance.  **Our limits are what you want them to be. We kill to feed, protect and care for Josh because he is our friend, everything comes from what you want and need. If some shit is so fucking disgusting and inconceivable to you, it works for me too.**

Okay, it was really interesting to find out that some of the things Elliot wanted to do originated from him too, how wonderful, they were actually a fucking duo of sociopathic killers.

Before Elliot could complain about Eli's word choices and his exaggeration, they heard Josh start waking up slowly, made him stop stroking the other's hair. 

Moving a little and holding the charizard to his chest, Josh seemed to be realizing that his head was in someone's lap and that there was a hand on his head. Eli really hoped he wouldn't say the fucking Sam or Kj's name.

"Sam?" Josh asked in a heavy voice, making Eli involuntarily growl on hearing this and it wasn't like he could stop this kind of shitty reaction. His instincts saw the two girls as threats to his claim, as it was clear that he wasn't that lucky, Josh had to speak the name of his ex girlfriend when waking up in his lap.

**At least he didn't say KJ too.**

_ It makes things a lot better, thanks, Elliot.  _ He thanked sarcastically.

**Ungrateful pussy.**

"The girl you dumped, tried to save after the fucking apocalypse, cheated after finding out that she was alive and that in the end deceived, kidnapped and hurt you? I'm sorry lovebird, Joshie, but it's not her" Eli said sarcastically, with a smirk on his face when he continued. "I could even say that is someone better and much hotter, a real snack, depending on how much you missed me in your dream world".

With the sound of his voice, reality seemed to hit Josh when his eyes opened, blinking a few times to adapt to the sunlight on his face before his gaze locked on Eli's. "You... you were dead" That was the only thing Josh managed to say, probably too surprised to see him resurrected to immediately remember Elliot. 

"He brought you back!" He exclaimed as he tried to get up to sit facing Eli, placing his hands on the other's arms, while that he certainly didn't expect this reaction. "He told me he was going to bring you back, and he did!" His friend repeated as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing, which was strange since they faced all kinds of shit after the damn apocalypse.

Okay, maybe Josh remembered Elliot, and that was a good reason to act like that. But why was he more interested in the fact that he brought Eli back, when he should be freaking the hell out since he saw a monster try to eat him just before passing out?

**You know this is not what I did, dick. And perhaps we both underestimated our dear friend.** Elliot suggested in a tone that told him that there was something more behind his words.

"If by him you mean Elliot, then yes, the asshole resurrected me. But it seems that of course not before scaring the shit out of you with that" Eli pointed to the bandage on the other's shoulder and teased in an attempt to keep things as they were even when Josh noticed the bite. 

The damn bite that he couldn't help but be proud of having left on his friend. Fucking instincts.

His words made Josh shift his attention to his shoulder, his gaze going dark when he saw the bandage, probably because he had finally remembered what happened. Running his fingertips over the bandage, Josh looked at Eli with a confused look. "But why am I alive?" He asked genuinely surprised, startling Eli a little when one of his friend's hands went to his face, holding his cheek. "Why didn't you kill me? I deserved it, didn't I? Why, Elliot?"

_ What the hell didn't you tell me, you idiot? What kind of shit did you tell him? _ Eli asked, growling angrily in his mind.

**I didn't say anything wrong, okay? I was just honest with him, it's not my fault that he thought it meant he had to die and that I would do the fucking job.** Elliot grunted defensively.

He didn't quite believe it, but the only way to know what the hell they were talking about was by discussing it with Josh.

"What do you mean by that, Joshie? What the hell did Elliot tell you?" Eli questioned, placing his hand over Josh's. "And why are you not running away from me or at least yelling at Elliot for biting you? You know, like a normal person would do".

For a moment, it seemed like a flash of fear passed through Josh's eyes when he flinched a little, but when he looked better, Eli realized it was guilt. "I... I killed you, Eli, I went too far..." He whispered and removed his hands from him, sitting on the edge of the bed with his elbows on his thighs, he ran his hands through his hair.

"These six months have been a big mess and I did a lot of shit, you know well. I ironically broke my most important rule, not to be an asshole, with you, Sam and the others. And for the second time, you died because of me" Josh laughed bitterly, continuing in a self-deprecating manner with humor that neither Eli nor Elliot liked. The latter experiencing for the first time what was a vague feeling of regret. "I deserved that he killed me. Deserved to have died, Eli, but now all I can do is to stay away from you and the others, keeping you all safe like that."

He didn't know how to react when he heard those words come out of Josh's mouth, the stench of guilt and regret emanating from his friend like the smoke from his neighbor's marijuana cigarettes, so he did the only thing he could think of at that moment. As soon as Josh got out of bed and stood up, Eli did the same and went to him faster than him could see, pushing him by the arm to the other face him.

"What do you mean by that bullshit, Joshie? You decided that all the shit that happened is your fault and that you are going to do something about it, why? Because Elliot say that to you, and now you decided to listen to someone other than yourself?" Eli accused him more aggressively than he wanted, but he really sucked at expressing his feelings, which now consisted of anger, despair and possessiveness of keeping what was his around.

"It's the truth, Eli, and I accepted it because I'm tired of thinking otherwise!" Josh started looking desperate for Eli to understand, his gaze shining with disappointment obviously directed at himself. They hated it, all sides of him hated it. "Sam was right about me, even though I didn't want to see this, she was and so was Elliot".

**Oh, fuck no, what I said had nothing to do with that bitch. It's not fair for me to be compared to her** . Elliot complained angrily.

"I'm not a fucking teenage hero who does everything right and saves the world, getting the girl he likes in the end. I'm just an asshole who fell in love with Sam and then broke her heart, did the same to Kj and survived so long because my father happened to be a hunter. Just because of that, and even to him I didn't give the right value before it was too late. Before he died!" Josh shouted the last part brokenly. "And do you want to know the best part? I pushed my friends away because I was too stupid to admit that I cared about them and after all, I ended up killing you twice. You, that helped me even when you shouldn't have".

"I'm sorry, Eli, for all the shitty trouble I gave you. I hope Elliot, even though it is one of the scariest things I have ever seen, will keep you safe" His friend grinned sadly, gently moving Eli's hand off his arm.

"I will surrender to Sam in exchange for leaving you and the others alone, and please don't come after me again. You deserve better than that..." Josh walked away from the bed with a small smile on his face and started walking towards the door, where Eli had left the key hanging when he decided to let his friend know he had a choice. Now, it seemed like a horrible idea after knowing what passed through Josh's head. 

**Won't you do anything, dickhead? We can't let him go. He's not even leaving for the reasons he should, like out of fear or disgust for me.** Elliot complained in Eli's mind, who realized he was frozen.

_ This is all your fault, you idiot, you that went too far this time. I thought you just scared the shit out of him, not fucking brainwashed him.  _ Eli replied angrily, not knowing how to proceed as he watched Josh turn the key and unlock the door. He needed to keep his friend here, needed to show him that nothing his counterpart said was really true, that he didn't need to do that. _ What should I do, then? Knock him out again? If that's your idea then the answer is no, I'm tired of doing that to him. _

**The promise he made while you were dead! Use that shit and then we'll make him understand.** Elliot ordered more than he suggested, but Eli wasn't giving a shit about it at the time. He vaguely remembered seeing through the black eyes of his counterpart Josh crying over him, murmuring words of regret and promises to stand beside him, and he would use it.

"So are you just going to break the promise you made to me, Joshie?" He shouted, pointing accusingly at his friend, that remained looking to the opposite way but froze while opening the door. Realizing that his words had an effect on Josh, positive or negative being imperceptible, Eli continued as he approached.

"I wasn't awake but Elliot was when you crawled over me, begging me to wake up and come back to life for you. Asking me not to leave you again, because you couldn't lose me" Eli said, seeing the door being closed by Josh and watching him remove his hand from the handle. 

"He heard when you said you would stay with me if I were with you again. You promised, Joshie, you made a promise. Will you keep your word?!" Stopping a few inches from his friend's back, he growled "Answer me, Joshie! I deserve to know!"

"I can't, Eli, I can't keep my promise, dammit" Josh whispered defeatedly after turning to face him, running his right hand over his eyes "Not after what I did. Not when I'm a danger to you, since Sam can invade this place at any time for revenge and you could end up dying again, all because of me!"

"Danger, Joshie? You?" Eli hissed and pushed his friend against the door, holding his right wrist tightly with one hand and his neck with the other, not suffocating but using enough strength to keep him in place. "Eli? What the fu-?" Josh choked with a look of confusion and panic as he tried to break free, but Eli pressed the other with his body, leaving their faces so close that they could feel each other's breath.

"You are thinking too highly of yourself, Joshie, when you aren't the fucking monster here. I'm the danger, or have you forgotten? Maybe I should remind you" Eli snarled, letting Elliot take some control, leaving only his iris to go black and some black veins running up his neck. 

When Josh tried to look away, he forced him to stare at him by pressing his digastric muscle and manipulating his neck using it, he kept his grip on his wrist tight.

"Or perhaps you haven't forgotten, maybe you're just using your guilt, a shitty and stupid excuse, to hide what you really feel when you see me, don't you?" He laughed darkly but deep down he meant those words, doubt piercing his mind.

"Fuck Eli, no, it's not like that, this isn't tru-" Josh tried to say before being interrupted.

"Truth? Aren't you afraid of me, of what I can do, Joshie? Are you not disgusted or frightened to see me like this, to know that I can easily kill and destroy anyone, your little friends, so easily?" Eli questioned, looking for some of the emotions he had mentioned in Josh's eyes, but finding nothing but panic and confusion even when he smirked, his sharp teeth showing. 

"If you want to leave, Joshie, then go. Leave me and do what you want, but don't pretend it's because you want to protect me! I chose to go with you to that damn school that afternoon and I will never regret it, and when I protected you with my body when we fell on the table, it was also my fucking choice! Not yours. So don't lie to me... not you, from everyone. Not you!" Eli whispered the last part and shook his head, gritting his teeth and letting his grip on Josh's chin go but only relaxing the one on his throat.

He leaned his forehead on his friend's shoulder, hiding cowardly from the answer that would come.

_ How fucking stupid _ , he laughed at himself in his head.

But when he felt a hesitant hand on his back, Eli was finally able to feel the line at the back of his mind, the bond between them shining and pulsing for the first time since Josh woke up. 

**Because he is fucking vulnerable and exposed** , Elliot told him, what left the connection open and made him able to feel each of his friend's emotions. 

There was no fear or disgust as he thought, only confusion, panic, anguish and guilt. Only this.

"Eli…" Josh muttered breathy, making him look at him, unable to stop himself from tightening his grip on the other's neck as a useless guarantee of control over the situation and to see the reaction of his friend. But unlike what he expected, Josh only gave him a weak smile.

"I don't care about you being a monster... I don't care since the moment I woke up with my head in your lap, thinking you were my fucking ex. Blunder, I know" He snorted. "But it's the truth, Eli, I'm not afraid of you being what you are now. The only thing that scares me is exactly the fact that you chose to die for me this time. This isn't the Eli I met a few years ago in high school" Josh chuckled, putting his other hand on Eli's right hand wrist - the one that could suffocate him - but doing nothing to move it. 

Meanwhile, Eli used his connection with his friend to analyze his feelings, trying to see if any shit that he said was true.

**Focus and don't be aggressive, idiot. He'll notice if you be and he probably won't like it.** Elliot warned after not saying anything for a while, his presence sharing space with Eli in the decisions they made.

"The Eli I met, an egocentric idiot, the one who tried to blackmail me and kick my ass out of the mall a few days ago, would never have risked his life to me like you did. He wouldn't have saved me from Sam without something to gain from it, nor would have taken care of me when I was unconscious, much less sacrifice himself to protect me" Josh sighed, glancing away from him to the ceiling, unshed tears in his eyes. 

"That was the dickhead Eli I couldn't stand before that afternoon, when I met a part of you that made me want to be your friend. But... but then I saw you die and it was... it was like a part of me had been uprooted because I cared. I did, and the only other person who died that I cared about, before Sam and the others, was my father. And as with him, I didn't even have a chance to explore what we could be..." He watched his friend gasp and clear his throat, looking back at Eli who was too shocked with Josh's words to even say anything.

What seemed obvious to his friend, who continued when he realized he would not be interrupted.

"I lost you, Eli… and a few hours ago it happened again, but this time not because a fucking dumb bully attacked you. But because you died protecting me even when we were fighting. And that’s what scares me more than ghoulies or Elliot could ever do. That's why I wanted to be the shitty lone wolf, without a group, without friends, without more people that could be taken from me, just me and Sam. That's also why I pushed Wes, Kj and Angelica away while I could, which is why I'm trying to keep you and them away now" Josh confessed wearily, letting the tears roll down his face.

"Because I'm a coward who deserves none of you, who will only bring danger to you and when that danger knocks on the door, and you get hurt or die, it will be my fault. Only mine…" Eli watched Josh close his eyes as he let go of the other's throat, not expecting Josh to fall defeatedly on him and feel his friend's head on his shoulder this time. 

Seeking comfort like all humans do when they can't take it anymore, he thought before grabbing his human's back and pulling him close. His human, that he could feel every raw and distressing emotion of the whirlwind in the other's head through the connection. 

It was as if Josh's suffering was amplified, crossing that line between them, and reaching Eli. He hated it, and he hated even more that every word Josh said had hit his heart like a knife because there was no way he could say it was a lie. Eli couldn't stand the fact that this was what his human thought, beneath all his attitudes.

**So let's do something about it.** Elliot snarled, retracting the black veins in Eli's eyes and neck. **He's ours, don't you remember? We take care of what is ours, and Josh is worth it, so take care of him. Make him feel safe as humans need so much, assure him that everything will be fine, because we will make sure it will. Make him stay not only for you, but for him too. Make him accept what has already been started, and finish it!**

How annoying was that the most monstrous part of him seemed to make things simpler than they were, Eli placed a hand on Josh's neck, lifting the other's head off his shoulder and holding the side of his neck so that his friend stared at him.

Josh looked like shit, with his hair a little messy, a few tears on his cheeks and confusion in his face, making him look more vulnerable than he really was, than of what probably all the teenagers of the city knew he was capable of. 

And was horrible that Eli's heart would heat up knowing that he had left Josh like that, that he hadn't shown that side to anyone else, but he still couldn't regret it. Not when it meant that his human cared for him as much as he did for him.

"It won't be your fault, dick. You may have done a lot of shit and acted like a low level idiot," Eli smiled as he saw Josh snort humorously and roll his eyes. 

"But not everything that happened were your fault and it won't be. We all act as we want and make our choices. Most of the time shitty ones, but your little friends chose to care about you and to make you their leader. Sam decided that she wanted power as well as Turbo and the Director before her, and how she would do that. And I… made mine" He looked into Josh's eyes as the other lifted his hands and placed them over his, in a insecure way.

As if he wasn't sure if his action would be welcome, and perhaps because Eli had also never seen the other being so tactile. Probably another effect of their bond.

"What I mean is that I made my fucking decision to be your friend. To protect you, keep you safe and be by your side when you need it, which also means change your boring routine, because that's what friends do, isn't it? It's the least they should do, right? I don't have much experience with that, but that's what I heard the losers say it is, added to scolding you when you do shit" Eli smirked, watching Josh do the same with a different emotion in his eyes this time, exasperation. 

Felt good how for a second things seemed just… easy.

"And I want to try this stuff. I know what I have become but I want you to be with me, to help me understand what I am now. I need someone who is not a mannequin, because as much as I love Mavis, I was going crazy from talking to myself so much. And imagining her voice…" Seeing Josh's eyebrows frown in confusion, probably because he just confessed that he was more crazy than he looked, Eli sighed before continuing seriously.

"But this is something you decide too, and I can't control it as much as I want to. It's your choice, and even though I consider it a shitty decision if you go to Sam to be kept as her pet, and leave me, it's still yours…" He ended up whispering the last part. 

It seemed like an eternity as he watched various emotions change the expressions on his friend's face, all of them passing too fast for him to identify. The seconds seemed like hours, during each of them Eli tried to deduce what Josh would decide through the connection between them again, but there were too many feelings for him to identify which would prevail over the others.

But it all stopped when Josh sighed deeply, smiling slightly at him. "I... I will stay, for you. I promised, right?" His friend shrugged, teasing him. "Also, it looks like you're going to need me and Elliot too because, you know, having only you to talk to must be awful for him. It must not be healthy even for whatever he is!" He listened in a daze, too surprised and happy to properly process the words that entered his ear.

Josh was going to stay. 

He was going to stay despite everything. He wasn't going to leave and Eli didn't even have to kidnap, threaten, manipulate or drug him to make this happen, plans that honestly crossed his mind but that he would never bear to try any of them. 

His gray morals, that appeared to be darker lately, didn't seem to work for Josh sometimes.

**Finally, someone that understands me. Did I already say I like him? Because he's talking about the real shit here.** Elliot said and laughed sarcastically, causing Eli to roll his eyes and get out of his stupor. 

_ Next time I'm going to leave you talking to yourself, asshole. _

"Hey, I saved your ass, not the other way around. And I guarantee it's worse to just have him to talk to, I could become a shitty serial killer if that were the case" Eli said with false indignation but still smirked before making room for Josh, stepping away from him but leaving one hand on the other's neck.

"Of course it's, Eli, just as you are not dramatic, right?" His friend laughed sarcastically, pulling away from the door and frowning. "And what the hell, man? You are practically my height. How the fuck did you get taller and bigger? You didn't even have muscles before, and now you throw me against the door like I'm nothing!" Josh questioned, amusement shining in his eyes. 

Douchebag.

"Dick! This, according to Elliot and his crazy logic, is an effect caused by him" Eli said convincingly before patting Josh on the shoulder, taking his hand out of it and passing his arm behind his friend, he pulled the key out of the door and threw it at Josh, who took it looking surprised. 

Eli just grinned and winked at him with that.

"My body is changing to support my new... habits, you might say, and also to adapt to my new form. Something like that superhero shit from the movies. I really miss it" Shrugging, he walked towards the massage chair and sat on it with his legs spread and his arms crossed. If Josh had somehow tricked Eli, even through the bond between them, now was the time for him to act and the other seemed to realize it too. He could open that door and close it, locking Eli here before he could stop his friend.

The key was a sign of confidence. One that was expected not to be broken.

And when Josh looked between the key in his hands and Eli, suspicion and doubt in his eyes but also surprise, he knew that wasn't what was going to happen. And this was proven when his friend sat on the edge of the bed three feet from him, stating.

"Thank you, but you can have it" Josh tossed the key back to Eli, that caught the object in the air with his right hand. "If I need it, I ask for you" Josh shrugged, making Eli smile at his answer and put the key in his pocket.

His friend absently picked up the plush charizard, placing it on his lap and running his fingertips through the artificial fur when he teased. "A stuffed animal? Did we actually go on a date and I didn't know?" Josh laughed at his own joke as Eli got up quickly to take the charizard out of the other's hands, before sitting down again, smirking at his friend's exasperated expression.

"You would wish, Joshie, but I only date after a certain kind of intimacy. I can't waste a snack like me with any loser" Eli said with a proud tone and an arrogant stance.

"You really are an egocentric asshole, Eli" Josh shook his head in disbelief and started chuckling, his joy being felt as a tug on their bond line. 

But that changed when his friend's expression became more serious when he put his hand on the bandage, staring at Eli with an unreadable expression. "Do the others know about Elliot?" He asked in a neutral, almost casual tone, as if he didn't want to press for an answer but also to look like he didn't care. But he did. 

"It was with him that you saved me, right? Is that why you didn't tell me exactly how you persuaded Sam?" Josh asked when Eli didn't respond, his shoulders hunched and his gaze straying anywhere but Eli's eyes, who remained unmoved. 

**You should tell him, so it will be easier to explain about the bond too. Stop being a pussy.** Elliot complained angrily. 

"They do…" Eli grunted under his breath, resting his chin in his hand and staring at the door, he glanced to see his friend's reaction. 

"What?" Josh asked confusedly, frowning.

"The fucking answer to your first question, smarty, they do know about Elliot, okay? They found out a while ago but Sam and her brainless idiots were the first to see him. I used this to get you out of there" Eli explained, clearly leaving some parts out.

**You idiot, and the story of no secrets?** Elliot accused and he was aware that if it were possible, he would have felt a slap in the head.

_ I didn't do anything wrong, it's not like he needs to know all the details now, right? I'm just omitting some unnecessary shit.  _ Eli defended himself, leaving his mental conversation when he heard his friend's voice.

"So is that why you didn't want to let me go to them? Or does it have something to do with the fact that what is written here has a different meaning than I thought?" Josh pointed to the inscription on the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing, asking with what looked like genuine curiosity. "Maybe both?"

Without accusing or freaking out, at least not that Eli could tell.

"Kind of. The losers didn't react, as I can say, very well to Elliot, for stupid but obvious reasons" Eli shrugged, remembering when he scared the shit out of Josh's friends. Good moments. "Now about what I wrote and the reason for that, are directly connected to the fucking bite… and to the changes I mentioned earlier. So maybe we better forget about it" He suggested with a forced smile, hoping his friend would accept this as a change of subject.

"No, not this time. I won't be mad, Eli, even with your crazy shit. I just want you to be honest with me, and then, we're going to work this out" Josh said, running a hand through his hair. "And it's not like I have other things to do, so we have all the time in the world".

Eli was going to do just that, be honest. He was going to tell everything this time, the details, the dark parts and all that happened. He would take the risk even though Josh didn't know what the fuck he was talking about when he asked for the truth, nothing more or less. 

But then he felt it. 

A sudden but intense hunger, which if Eli hadn't clung to the edges of the massage chair, would have made him jump at Josh.  _ What the fuck? What are you doing?  _ He questioned trying to stay under control, the sight and the scent of Josh not helping. 

**I'm not doing any crap. It's the hunger that I felt every time we needed to hunt, now you feel it too. We have to get out of here, this conversation can wait.** Elliot warned, a hint of urgency in his tone. And that was enough to show Eli that it was no joke.

"Are you okay, Eli? Or should I say, Elliot?" Josh looked worriedly at him, making him realize he was practically transformed as his friend got up from the bed and hesitantly approached. 

Good intentions but bad idea.

"No, don't come closer!" Eli schouted and held out his hand when he stepped away from the massage chair and backed toward the door. "I can't do it now. I need to go" He tried to explain while Josh held up his hands in redemption, as if he were dealing with a cornered animal. 

And Eli wasn't far from this in that moment, when every member of his body demanded that he grab his human and feed on him. But unlike what he thought, the images his mind produced did not involve them devouring and killing Josh. 

Only his human's body spread on the bed, with bite marks all over his neck, shoulders and torsos and a trail of blood running down his skin, directly to Eli's lips. It was a tempting sight that mixed with Josh's close presence threatened to take over him.

**Focus, idiot! You just need to get away from him, I already said that afterwards we can deal with the shitty questions. Now get the fuck away from him!** Elliot complained like an alarm going off in his head, momentarily clearing the cloud of hunger.

"I'm sorry, Joshie, for acting like a fucking coward right now…" Eli laughed sarcastically before gritting his teeth and clenching his hands in fists. "But life's a fucking bitch with terrible punctuality and I have to go. Don't come after me, please, and I promise that when I get back I'll explain all that shit to you" He sighed, taking everything he had to ignore Josh's confused and worried expression as he turned his back, opening the door and running.

He passed the offices and went down the emergency stairs, jumping over the chairs thrown on the floor and crossing the line that marked the entrance, he closed the gate behind him. Eli knelt and bowed, staring at the floor and breathing heavily, deeply in an attempt to get rid of the delicious scent of his human, he forced himself to think beyond his instincts.

He needed to hunt. At that moment, he knew what Elliot really meant when he was hungry. It was like being thirsty but with it eroding every part of him, as an uncontrollable need.

**Calm the fuck down, or else you'll end up eating the nearest suckers and of low-quality flesh.** Elliot's voice soothed him, so that even though his instincts remained high, he could connect and control them.  **See? I know it sucks but it's not that difficult.**

_ Asshole, you could at least have warned me! _ Eli grunted as he stood, holding the metal gate grille for support. _ You're a shitty partner sometimes, you know? _

**What can I do, I got it from you and the surprise was the best part. Although our Josh was never in danger, I would take you down if I had to.** Elliot laughed darkly, reminding Eli that despite everything, his counterpart was a scary creature and consequently, he would also become even more part of it that night. 

It felt like this was the last step to a darker place, that he wouldn't be able to return from later. That even if they were one now, something he had accepted and liked, it would become even more difficult to define any useless lines between his desires and instincts.

Well, it wasn't like there was another way now, was it? And Eli had never been the normal boring type of person, and that wasn't going to change.

**Is the messy shit of your existential crisis over? Because I'm excited for today's hunt. Now what were the targets you wanted to eat in your first time? Poor quality assholes? Big idiots? Stupid or bullies dicks?** Elliot asked casually, just like when you list a menu. 

But he wasn't acting so wrong, since humans other than Josh didn't feel like anything but just preys for neither of them. Only bags of flesh and bones, that had their values reduced to how much their death would disrupt the relationship between him and his friend.

And Eli couldn't feel bad about it anymore. He was tired of it.

_ They are some pieces of shit with a lot of money that I had the displeasure to meet at a party I crashed, but wasn't even that good.  _ He started as he walked the corridors of his section, dispelling doubts that Josh would be in the office when he came back. Eli felt his human would do it, through the bond between them, he was sure it would stay that way.  _ You must remember. It's the one where I threw up in their whirlpool, and on second thought, I should have done worse. _

**Oh, how could I have forgotten? It was a shitty night, even to this standards of yours.** Elliot observed, his imaginary sadistic smile being felt in his head.  **But at least they'll get what they deserve now, won't they? And it looks like it will be a pleasure for both of us to be sure of that.**

_ Yes, they will pay for what they did. _ Eli agreed with a smile already full of fangs, checking the security system and his traps before leaving his mall for one of his secret exits.

"And we'll make sure of that, no matter what" 

* * *

Passing one of the streets that were part of his routes that crossed the city, Eli felt the cool night breeze hit his face as he ran at a steady and continuous pace, without making any effort. 

He looked around, paying attention to the noises and smells of everything around him, analyzing from where they came and what they belonged to, Eli only identified mutant animals and shitty ghoulies a few blocks away. 

No fucking humans. At least not until the condo uphill some kilometers in front of him, as expected. 

Having already come here in the first few months after the apocalypse, he knew how to dodge the deadly traps he prepared to keep anything alive, dead or undead out of this way. The street that was his only way to go up this hill without hitting anyone and nothing that could have easily killed him before.

Ironically, that was no longer his biggest concern.

The place he would go was the territory of a tribe that almost nobody knew how to reach them because, well, practically everyone, even the athletes, thought that there was no way to get there. Although, there was.

And the disciples of Kardashian were one of the few aware of this, keeping that secret hidden just as his aunt Mary kept her affair with the guy from the cafeteria hidden, with her husband only finding out when she died. 

It was a very tense funeral.

But how the hell those hot, stylish idiots, but with squirrel brains, knew that, if even the STEM punk nerds tried and failed Simply, because they were invited when the wealthy fuckers living there decided they wanted companion. 

Yeah, some rich in training survived even to the apocalypse, like cockroaches, and they were enjoying life in the safest place of the region, on the edge of the city, also known as Parkside condominium. Before, considered the best, most luxurious and safest for the most powerful people in the USA. Now, home to their spoiled children.

Going up the street, Eli soon saw the high concrete walls, with electric fences around and on top of them, and the lights of the big houses. All of that energy came from the solar panels installed in the area behind it all and the storage center, which had conveniently been installed a year ago by his father and the other employees of the company he worked for.

Fate really was a bitch with a very ironic sense of humor.

He bypassed the entrance, passing the large metal gates and walked to the maintenance door at the back of the walls, which the disciples of Kardashian used to enter since opening the gates would be stupid. At least the idiots had realized it. 

This was one of the early hours when they would leave the security system on the door off for their outside companions to come in the morning. This would happen twice a month, in the first and third weeks, as a routine that the last time he checked had been three months ago.

**Damn it, Eli, you look like those fucking stalkers crazy for revenge. This is sinister, man, and it doesn't even have the advantage that it's related to our Josh.** Elliot scoffed and complained, causing Eli to roll his eyes while passing through the bushes and removing the branches that hid the entrance.  **You need a hobby, seriously, even I have some.**

_You know it's more than that, asshole, having control of this place would be strategically great for us, so we would have something beyond the mall as a card up our sleeves. And just another example of my genius._ He explained arrogantly, easily opening the steel door and entering the condo. _Besides, you have no fucking right to talk about sinister things when I know what your "hobbies" is._ Crossing the small exotic forest in the back, _rich people_ , he approached the first mansion on the street that he could get around.

**Yeah, for sure, that totally may be why I feel the bloodlust coming from you, but there's more than that shit. And what's wrong with my hobbies? Perhaps some of them can be considered sinister by the shitty human standards, but I believe that you have been over this for some time.** Elliot criticized sarcastically, probably very proud of his hobbies.

_ I won't discuss this with you, we came here to hunt not for this _ . Eli snorted, stopping in the middle of the street and looking at the line of large houses on either side, each with lights on and gates half open. But only one of them had people at that time.  _ And even though I really have been over it, there is everything sinister with what you do during your spare time in our head. Imagining to eat humans in such a way that they stay alive as long as possible while you devour them isn’t exactly healthy, although useful. Besides, you're the one who has a mental catalog about Josh's body, and that's a pretty creepy shit _ .

**I don't get it. I still don't see the problem with that.** Elliot grunted, making him chuckle because he knew that his counterpart probably didn't see anything sinister about these things. He really should avoid letting another conversation between Josh and Elliot happen again. Some shit could be pretty complicated to explain.  _ Just forget it, idiot, it's time.  _ Eli snorted with something close to affection, but which he refused to admit and let on to Elliot.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, cracking his neck and sighing before letting the black veins run up his limbs to his face. It crawled under his skin, making his nails switch to claws and his fangs bigger, sharper. Feeling his senses improving and something in his brain being modified, he was sure to keep the pulsating, shiny line at the back of his head away from it all.

Josh was waiting for him, and distractions wouldn’t be accepted. 

Eli allowed Elliot's presence to take over his mind and body, gasping when he opened his eyes, already completely black and seeing everything as if through a red filter, but that was not what surprised him. It was the sensation of feeling and thinking so differently, just as he thought Elliot did, and it was nothing close to what it was like to be so weak and fragile. It was powerful, intoxicating and honestly, monstrous to know how much power he had, how easy it would be to just devore anyone he desired.

And he wanted to do that now ... no, he needed to. 

**That's the spirit, Eli. Now as they say in those movies that I like before the madness, bloodshed and hunt start, just like I love... Let the games begin!** Elliot hissed excitedly as they walked to the last house on the street, the one that stank even more strongly and concentrated with the smell of sacks of flesh, smirking darkly as they passed through the gates.

They passed through the huge garden, observing the laminate stone floor and skirting the large water fountain in the middle. Climbing the steps and walking to the large wooden door, they took a deep breath. Their pupils dilated as their senses absorbed the smell and noise of his five meals, being able to practically see through the walls and realize the location of each of them in the house.

The closest was in the TV room, which was a few meters to the right of the entrance hall, while two of them were on the second floor, in the last room on the left corridor, better known as the master suite. Another was in the kitchen, which was located at the bottom of the central ground corridor and the fifth was in the heated pool at the back of the house. Those in the TV room and kitchen would be the first to be eliminated, then the sacks of flesh in the bedroom and lastly the one who was swimming. 

Thus, the possibility of any of them hearing the other's death would be low if they didn’t want to, but that could change if they chose to devour the worst before. But what mattered, was that all the preys were spread out, which was an advantage for them, but it would have to remain that way if they wanted to keep the element of surprise. Well, maybe they could let some run away to improve the thrill of the hunt, but they would decide on the spot.

**No more planning, Eli. Feel what you're going to do.** Elliot advised.  **The approach. The attack. Just follow our instincts. Knock on the door and let the sensation take you.**

Rolling his eyes, they sighed before knocking on the door, hearing the first prey get up from the sofa and leave the room, heading towards the door, his smell got stronger. Tommy Whittemore. Previously, a member of the football team of the best school in the neighboring city and the captain's best friend, but also an arrogant dapper dan more stupid than the door he was about to open. No one would really miss him and his misogynistic, repulsive comments, probably not even his own friends.

“You should only be here in the morning, but it looks like you couldn't stay away from my dic-” Tommy started maliciously with a sarcastic laugh that made their stomachs turn in disgust, but when the jaw of the flesh bag dropped and the shock took over his expression, it was a pleasure without equal. 

“ **I think you're mistaking me for someone else, but I really can't imagine anyone with at least one brain cell wanting to see your ugly dick, Tommy** ” They said ironically and clicked their tongue, smiling acidly when pure terror flashed in their prey's eyes as a cry of fear came out of his mouth.

“What the fuck?” The worm screamed before running towards the stairs, tripping over his own feet in the same way that he made fun of the nerds for doing when they ran from him. Life really was an ironic bitch.

But before he could get very far, they picked up the ceramic vase on the table by the door and hurled it with calculated force and speed towards Tommy, who was hit by the object that shattered brutally on his back. The impact propelling him forward and face down, blood already soaking his shirt from the cuts of the pieces of the vase now embedded in his skin.

A truly satisfying sight, in addition to the wonderful smell of blood, fear and despair permeating the air.

Smirking as he approached the prey lying on his stomach and moaning in pain, they grabbed Tommy by the collar and turned him on his back, causing the other to gasp and cry out. The sound of shards piercing the back of the sack of flesh even more because it was pressed against the floor, was simply music to their ears. 

“No, wait, please” The worm whispered and raised his hands in surrender, cringing and struggling to get as far away from them as possible but unable to do so because of his injuries. It only made their smile even more predatory when they crouched down, holding his throat tightly which caused Tommy's filthy hands to go to their wrist and try futilely to move it. “Fuck, no. S-stop! Please, please d-don't do that shit, don’t kill me, no” He choked desperately.

“ **You really don't know who the hell I am to be begging so ridiculously for me, do you?** ” They scoffed, standing up and lifting Tommy in the air by the grip in his neck, chuckling as he watched the other fight for breath and against the pain when they pressed him against the wall. 

“ **Well, it doesn't matter, I will remember that** ” They shrugged before smirking and biting his shoulder, covering his mouth with their other hand to muffle the screams and whimpers of pain as they ripped off a piece of his flesh.

They just stuck their hand in the other's chest and held his heart, digging their nails and letting the black veins connect with the organ and so, as long as they wanted, Tommy would stay alive. 

From that moment on, there was no care after the blood gushed and flowed down their throat. It was an intoxicating emotion, feeling the tips of his teeth rip through skin and muscle so easily and the power flowing through him with every bite he took. To see his prey's expression twitch in pure agony and choke on his own blood in his mouth. 

Eli fully understood why Elliot couldn't wait for the next hunt even after they had just done that. It was addictive, thrilling and exciting. In those seconds, he felt the true meaning of being superior, of now being at the top of the food chain. To know that they were the dominant species, that everyone else was at their mercy, that not even death could stop them. 

And when they had already devoured almost all parts of Tommy's neck, shoulders and chest but he was still breathing, watching the glow leave the worm's eyes as they removed the black veins and their hand from his chest, observe closely life leaving his body until he stopped breathing, it was an indescribable pleasure. 

One that was mainly what it was for Eli because he knew what Tommy had done and how he had never paid for it before, but it was they who had come to charge that price.

Dropping the lacerated body on the floor at the foot of the stairs, everything went by like a blur when they went to the kitchen and then to the bedroom. In both places, blood stains marked the floor and dripped from the walls, on the kitchen counters and cabinets and also on the bed and sheets in the bedroom. 

Each of their preys didn’t recognize him. Tommy. Scott. Jason. Isaac. Then the next, Brendon. They all deserved it. What they did couldn’t be forgiven.

And the moment they went down the stairs and ran their nails through the stone walls, walking towards the wooden deck where Brendon was drying himself with his back to them, Eli was sure of it.

Until they stepped on the wood, making a creaking echo on purpose and the sack of flesh looking at them. The excitement of killing and devouring their last prey of the night had already took over them, except that in addition to the shock and fear that shone in Brendon's eyes, there was also recognition.

"E-Eli? What the fuck?" Brendon stammered, walking back and looking around, as if looking for a way to escape. Well, they wouldn't let that happen. They gave Brendon no chance to even react when they ran towards him, jumping on him and knocking him on his back on the floor, they sat on the other's waist and held his throat.

" **So you recognized me, didn't you? It really surprised me** " They snorted with a sadistic smile, squeezing the throat of their prey with one hand and holding his wrists with the other. "How could I not remember you, Cardashyan?" Brendon choked, his expression twisting in fear but also what seemed to be regret.

_ Why? _

**"How could you?"** They laughed coldly, bringing their faces close to Brendon's. **"This is exactly what your friends' pieces of shit did, if it was so easy for those worms, then why not?"** They snarled.

"I'm not like them. You know it" Brendon said, looking so sure of it. "I tried to stop them when I heard. I had no fucking idea."

**"Do you really want me to believe this shit?"** They scoffed, almost letting the black veins and their eyes change, but controlling themselves, they hissed " **You were fucking watching the hall to see if anyone came. There was simply no way you wouldn't know!".**

"But I didn't!" Brendon screamed, clenching his teeth as their grip on his throat tightened. "Cardashyan, I'm not lying. I didn't see them taking her to the room, Tommy just told me to keep an eye on the hall because they were going to get some fucking drugs and I did, damn it! I expelled you from there so things wouldn't get any worse for both of you. " He looked away, whispering. "I swear... I never would have let them try anything if I had known".

Eli looked into Brendon's eyes, searching for the truth that he already knew what it was. The idiot didn't really know what his friends' assholes did. He had seen it, even though he had refused to admit it, that night.

Brendon had been the only one not to participate to what his idiots friends did but he didn't try to do nothing either.

**Exactly, it doesn't fucking matter that he didn't know or hadn't participated, he also didn’t do any shit even though he knew the truth.** Elliot complained, hissing.  **Just devour him soon so we can go to Josh, we own him explanations.**

Clenching and baring his teeth, Eli dragged his hand from his prey's neck to the left side of his chest, just above his heart. Brendon was clearly scared, breathing heavily as he felt their claws sting his skin, but instead of screaming or trying to fight as they thought he would, the other seemed to try to calm down. “Just ... just do it quickly, please” He pleaded, looking into their eyes when the black veins extended to their hand, his body getting ready to begin the pleasurable process of feeding.

They just needed to put their hand on Brendon's chest, dig their claws into his heart and it would start. It would be just like the others, the bloodshed and the power flowing through them, and in the end watching life leave his eyes. Because he deserved it.

And so, Eli made his decision.

* * *

Eli opened the bedroom door slowly, going through it and closing behind him, the first things he saw being his Josh. The one he didn't feel any different about even after what he did with so much excitement.

The human wasn’t simply a bag of flesh, something expendable and worthless except to be their food or used in any way he wanted. No. Josh was the only thing worthwhile besides the pleasure of conquering, devouring and killing. He was theirs.

And just as Eli felt it would be, Josh was still in the room, more specifically lying on his side on the bed with one arm outstretched and his hand over the plush charizard, sleeping soundly.

He sighed and walked to the side of the bed, brushing a few strands of hair from his human's face and smirking when he saw how vulnerable Josh was in the presence of a predator like him.

Eli ran his fingers over his neck, feeling the pulse and blood running through the arteries and veins of his friend. So unaware of the danger that was close, but that also would never be a threat to him.

Snorting, he went around the bed and lay down next to their human, pulling the other's back against his chest and placing his hand on his abdomen, causing Josh to automatically snuggle up. What Eli left, not giving a damn what he was going to do in the morning, things would work out as Elliot said.

The calm beat of Josh's heart, the smell of the bite they had left on the other's shoulder and the feeling of the bond line, calmed his instincts and took over his senses as he fell asleep. 

Nothing else mattering when everything he needed most slept in his arms. Not even all the blood spilled that night and the sadistic satisfaction that still remained in his mind for that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Finally, finally, I finished this chapter. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry for making you wait so long but it was necessary because this is a chapter with a focus on Josh, and as I'm very used to writing Eli's pov, it was a little difficult to adapt. But I think that even with the different and varied emotions that this chapter brings, which can be a little tedious at first but from the middle it gets better and better, it was good enough at the end.
> 
> Thank you all for the incredible support and for all the opinions shared with me (again, don't stop please bc it's really what makes me continue writing and struggling to write each chapter). I would appreciate more kudos and comments (can be constructive criticisms, compliments or doubts, just write it guys) the wait for your comments it's my life, and if you could, please no hate.
> 
> I would also like to say that I love all my readers, but if you are racist, I want to tell you to fuck off. Black lives matter, and if you think differently or come up with any excuse, I can't accept that because racism is not up for debate. For my poc readers, I want to say that I support you and hope that my fanfic is a safe place for you too, so if I am offensive at any time, let me know. Hope you stay safe and healthy during this tough weeks!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 7

Josh's pov

He could only watch with his hands still raised in surrender when Eli apologized, asking him to stay here while he opened the door. Josh was about to call his friend when he ran out of the room, his gaze full of panic and despair but also what looked like hunger and ferocity shining in his eyes. 

A look Josh had only seen on the hungry wolves his father told him to keep his distance on the hunt. 

Something that sent a shiver up his spine but also a part of him felt connected, attracted by it. It was like that brought comfort and security to him, at the same time his survival instincts told him to run away from that fucking room right now.

“Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me?” Josh asked himself aloud, holding his head between his hands as he sighed heavily. He looked at the door between open, questions spinning in his head. 

Why had Eli looked at him like that? Maybe, was it something that came from Elliot? And if so, what were they hungry for when they left?

_ C'mon, Josh, think. All those months of surviving in this fucking apocalyptic city had to be worth some shit, you're not as dumb as people think. _ He said to himself, even when all he wanted was to go after Eli and look for answers. 

But Josh couldn't. In fact, it would be very easy to open the door and escape from any store he was in to the rest of the mall. 

However, he didn't want to do this to Eli, not when he had trusted that he wouldn't do it.

Of course that he really wanted to see his friends, know how they were doing, whether they were working well together or constantly trying to kill themselves as usual. Still, Eli had asked him to stay here for good reasons; those he didn't want to consider before. 

Sam wouldn't just let him go, it was naive and stupid to think so. He knew her better since the day she kidnapped him, and even after she saw Elliot, that didn't mean they were safe.

The girl who took that shitty throne and introduced herself as the fucking queen of the jocks might have been afraid of the monster in Eli, but this wouldn't stop her. That meant that she would come after him or Eli, either for revenge or matters of territory. Maybe even for both if she was in the right mood.

That was a danger to his friends and the other daybreakers, making Eli not being so wrong when it came to that shitty idea of not letting him go and forcing him to say here. There was only one problem, the fact that Eli's plan involved kidnapping and keeping him there until it was over.

So he couldn't be blamed for not imagining that his intentions were at least good. And even if he hated to admit it, maybe it would be better if he should stay here and wait for Eli for their sake.

“I better get some fucking good explanations when you get back, dick!” He sighed before abruptly closing the door and sitting with his back against it. 

Josh expected Eli to tell the whole truth this time or he really would be tempted to running away to another store just to piss him off.

However, his good sense, that seemed to just work now - how convenient - told him this was probably a bad idea. 

By the way Eli pressed him on that same door and looked like he intended to do the same again if he tried something, his friend wasn't fucking with him when he said he would do anything to keep him safe.

Of course, at first it had been difficult to process everything that Eli had said, each of his instincts screaming danger, telling him to fight and flee from him.

And then things just got worse. Seeing his friend like that made his heart pound faster, knowing this time it was him and not Elliot, while he acted so monstrously. 

But at the same time, was as if a part of his mind refused to let it interfere with their difficult friendship. Something that contradicted everything he learned, telling him to trust Eli.

A feeling that he hadn't felt even with Sam, made him want to try to keep whatever was between them now. To do what he never did with his relationship with his father, Sam or KJ knowing that at least this time he would do it.

He would try.

He couldn't be a coward until it was too late, not again. Josh would chose to fight for something he cared for this time.

_ And the monster? Have you thought about what to do about him? _ The rational and strategic part of his mind questioned.

Well, Elliot, was another matter. He didn't know how much the creature was part of his friend, his intentions, what the hell that was and what he fed on. 

And while the latest answers were completely unknown to him, the first two seemed to be in front of his eyes, all the signs being there.

The possessive words written on the shirt he wore, - which didn't bother him as much as it should have, but that matter was for another day - how Eli refused to tell more details about Elliot and the look his friend gave him before leaving. 

He knew that Eli wasn’t completely the same, that was a fucking fact, and it was all because of Elliot. His counterpart, who was some kind of creature that had come into contact with his friend after Josh left Eli's body in the park. 

Elliot was probably one of the consequences of those bombs - maybe even a worm or parasite - that caused all the apocalypse shit. Still strangely, he felt that he was also almost like Mrs. Crumble and the director. 

Beings like the ghoulies but that kept their brain and who they were intact. Or almost so. It was also exactly what differentiated Elliot, and consequently Eli, from the two adults. 

When he talked to the creature, or rather, was fucking attacked by him, Elliot seemed to be very aware of what he was, wanted and was doing, even with all the instincts shit.

That had given Josh the impression that he was neither above nor equal to Elliot in the food chain. Actually, it felt the other way around, as if he was the prey at his mercy. 

Not even when facing the ghoulies, mutant animals, the director and Mrs. Crumble, Josh had felt this way.

Although, whether he liked it or not, Elliot had protected and saved his friend. He was part of him now, one that kept him alive and probably impossible to kill.

So, other interactions between them would be inevitable and acceptance by his part too. Yes, even if each time, he would feel his heart in his mouth.

Fuck, Josh knew that was stupidly risky but he didn’t intend to lose another person he cared for. Not again, and not by his selfishness.

It was the price to pay for the friendship between him and Eli, and Josh had seen too much weird shit to be disgusted by the idea. A part of him was even interested and curious about it, after all, what happened to his friend wasn’t exactly an ordinary shit.

What? He couldn't be judged for that, if any other stupid teenager had seen what he had, they would be too. 

Except Angelica, who would certainly be more interested in blowing up every fucking piece of Elliot and Eli in various ways just to find out how to really kill him. It would be a good idea to keep her away from his new friend when they were reunited.

Another thing that confused him was how Eli had managed to keep his friends away for so long. Josh had no idea how many days had passed since he was rescued, but it didn't matter, because he knew they wouldn't just leave him with his friend if they knew about Elliot. 

So were they trying to reach him? And if so, what was their plan? And would that involve hurting Eli and Elliot, since they can't have responded well to the latter, right?

Oh, shit, more fucking additions to the list of things he would have to discover.

Flexing one of his knees, Josh leaned the back of his neck against the wood of the door and closed his eyes. He had tried to understand everything that was happening but none of that would happen until Eli returned. 

Obviously, he didn't want to stand around doing nothing in the meantime, after all it had never been too much of his style, but this time waiting was the best he could do. 

His father always told him that he was impatient, maybe he should listen to his advice at least this time. 

It was ironic how some things seemed to be worth more only when they were no longer there. That thought earned him a sad smile.

Josh stood up, choosing to ignore that list for now and focus on his snoring stomach and the clear need for a shower now that he had a good chance of having one. Damn, he stank.

It had been a while since he had food and water so easily accessible, the lack of threats to his life guaranteed for more than a few hours. 

The rest of the mall was certainly a luxury compared to what he faced in the first six months, but this room already felt almost like a mix of that and his old apartment. Something that made Josh feel safe, at home, and his guard slowly let down. 

“Hum” He snorted, "It might not be that bad to live here with Eli and Elliot". As long as there were no more secrets and his friends were free to come here whenever they wanted. 

In the end, they were all still a tribe, even after Sam.

Josh went over to the unbroken glass table and picked up two packages of chips and a cereal bar. He sat in one of the massage chairs and relaxed while eating, analyzing the room in the meantime. 

From the structure of the gray white walls, the white ceiling, some chic broken shelves and the door made of wood, it was obvious that he was in an office. 

A fancy one, possibly belonging to who was the boss here, if the big bathroom just over three feet from him meant anything. Eli had a good taste now and then, when it wasn’t weird as fuck.

But unfortunately, it didn't say much shit about what section of the mall this place was in, besides the fact that it was somewhere that he had never been before.

Maybe when they leave here for a bit, he would have more information since he was under the impression that his friend might not say it as specifically as he would like.

Finishing eating, he threw the empty packages of chips and cereal bar in the trash, getting up.

Josh went into the bathroom and took a shower, just putting on underwear and jeans and picking up some medical supplies in the room until he soon found himself in front of the mirror. 

For some reason, he felt he needed to see what was under the bandage on his shoulder, like an itch that couldn't be scratched until he did that. 

It came from the same part of his mind that felt connected to the look Eli had given him, and he wanted to understand why.

Carefully, Josh removed the bandage and placed it over the sink, the sight of the wound on his shoulder not quite what he expected. 

It was clearly possible to see the exact places that their fangs pierced his skin and made him bleed, the mark of the other teeth looking perfectly aligned while the four points were the most noticeable.

However, what he found strange was how everything seemed to be healing faster than it should have. The wound had probably been caused a day ago - his sense of time really sucked - but it could be seen that the fangs had deeply pierced his skin. 

And this shouldn't be healing anytime soon. Or bringing him a strange feeling that this was more than just a threat bite. Something more important, but that he couldn't understand what. 

“So much sleeping time must have really messed up with my mind” Josh sighed in annoyance. “It's all that idiot's fault, he owes me one for the confusion he's causing”.

Bowing, he turned on the tap and wet his face with both hands, needing the cold sensation of water on his skin for at least a few seconds. It was almost relaxing and enlightening as well as refreshing. For a few seconds, none of his thoughts bothered him.

But his was short-lived because as soon as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, drops of water dripping from his face, a sharp pain pulsed from the bite mark on his shoulder. 

Letting out a little cry of pain before gritting his teeth, Josh brought his hand up to the wound and when the pain became more intense, his knees went weak and he found himself cringing against the corner of the bathroom.

He leaned his forehead against the door, pressing against the bite mark and closing his eyes, hoping that the agony would pass faster. 

But all he received was blurred visions of blood and bits of what looked like human flesh flashing through his mind, making his head pound and his heart beat faster.

The images continued to hit him like a truck, each more brutal and bloody than the other. Of bodies being devoured and eaten while an emotion of sadistic satisfaction, which was certainly not his, was the only thing he could feel. 

It was as if his mind was stuck with it, mesmerized by an unknown adrenaline rushing through his veins along with the pain in his shoulder, and unable to do anything to get rid of both.

Soon, everything started to get more intense, making it impossible not to scream out of pure overload. 

The pulse in his head, hammering even harder. 

The pain in his shoulder that was spreading through his neck, chest and arm. 

A blurred image reflected in terrified eyes, showing Eli's face with splashes of blood and black veins while a sadistic smile appeared on his face.

But soon after, his mind froze and his memory went blank. No thoughts running through his head, no remembrances or feelings, looking like something blocked everything and left him numb.

His body got up and left the bathroom, and yet he didn't feel like he was controlling it, just watching these acts. Like a emotionless spectator with Alzheimer, trapped in his own body.

Picking up the medical supplies, he put a bandage on his shoulder and put on another long-sleeved shirt with the same scriptures as the other. 

He lay on his back on the edge of the bed, his eyes unfocused and heavy limbs. The sensation was as if his head was under water, completely empty while his mind got numb. 

Seconds, minutes, maybe hours passed, and nothing had changed.

But a sharp twinge of pain coming from the back of his head was what started to dispel the fog in his mind, causing his conscience to return slowly. 

_ Holy shit _ , he cursed and moaned when he felt all his head throb and stammer. It was like a fucking hangover, only ten times worse.

"Well, Dummie, this is probably what happens when you link your mind to something like Elliot and Eli. But I think you still have problems with consequences" A voice said in a sarcastic way, one he thought he recognized.

No way. There was no fucking way it could be her, but his memory from that morning on the roof said that it was.

"Mavis?" He asked and sighed as he struggled to open his eyes and move his body, which apparently was on top of Eli's bed. Again.

The sight that received Josh was of the girl - the one he didn't know if it was real or just his fucking head playing with him until now - sitting on the massage chair to the right of the bed.

"Who else could it be, Josh? I hope you haven't forgotten about me" She played with a small smile, a can of Coke in her hand with her legs spread and the paint sprays tied in front of her belly.

"No, I mean…" Josh whispered as he sat down, realizing that he was wearing another long-sleeved shirt with the same lettering and a bandage on his shoulder. 

What the actual fuck? How did he get here? Who put this on him? Better yet, was this all even real?

"Is this real or another hallucination?" He repeated the same question he made that day, putting his hand on his head and making a face when it throbbed of pain.

"Yes" Maive smirked before taking a sip of her soda, "But does it really matter?" Her response could have made Josh even more confused, but he didn't have enough energy to do so.

"Well, I should have expected that so no, it doesn't matter" He sighed because yes, it fucking mattered.

There was no memory in his mind of changing the bandage, putting on another shirt or lying on the bed. But if he hadn't done all that, then Mavis would have to have, wouldn't her? Which meant she was real… 

_ Right? _

"So, what did you mean before? About Elliot?" Josh questioned and rubbed the back of his head, not sure if this was the right thing to do since he didn't even know if this conversation was really happening.

At least if it wasn't, his subconscious seemed to know more than he did.

"I thought it was obvious, Dummie, you're practically a lighthouse now. Nothing else in this city shines like you, and I'm not talking about your personality" Maive said, her tone mysterious but friendly just like the last time.

And he still doesn't quite understand what she meant. Was Mavis talking about the bite? Did that have any other side effects that Josh didn't know about?

"I really have no fucking idea what you're saying" He sighed wearily.

"The bite, Dummie, Elliot's bite" She clicked her tongue before drinking the rest of her soda and throwing it in the trash. Mavis went over and sat next to him, smirking and crossing her legs.

Glancing, the thought of touching her, feeling that she actually at his side, passed through his mind. But if she really was, he didn't know how she would react to that action.

"You see, what Elliot did wasn’t to scare the shit out of you when he bit your shoulder, at least it wasn’t just that" Mavis started, Josh's attention was completely in her.

"The mark on your shoulder is a kind of claim, something that creates a bond between the two of you. Or three, depending on the point of view" She shrugged before crossing her arms. "But anyway, what matters is that this is changing you just as Eliot's presence is doing with Eli. The visions are proof of that".

Ignoring the information that he possibly had a mental bond with Elliot and Eli, his brain could only process the last sentence that left Mavis's mouth.

"Wait a second!" Josh couldn't help but exclaim out loud. "What the hell are you talking about? What visions? There is nothing wrong with me other than the fact that lately I'm acting more like a sloth than a human".

That was the fucking problem, it had been years since he had felt so tired that everything made him even more exhausted. 

"Oh, Josh, you don't remember, right?!" She asked looking amused, which annoyed him a little but his curiosity overcame that. 

"Well, I kind of passed out in the bathroom and ended up here, so no, I don't remember" He left aside the part that questioned whether she had brought him here or not.

"Wow, this is what I call interesting! Do you really have no memory of blood and pieces of human flesh in your little mind?" Maive questioned and pointed at his forehead, and it was like a switch popped in his head.

His skull hammered and pulsed as cut images of what she had said flashed through his vision while a sadistic feeling came with it. Josh close the eyes and clench his teeth, putting his hands on his head to try to stop the pain.

But it ended as fast as started, like something was blocking those remembrances again. Breathing heavily, he opened his eyes and slowly moved his hands, which trembled like leaves as his heart pounded quickly.

With a startled expression, he stared at Maive who had picked up the can before it could fall and was offering back to him, a smirk in her face. "I see you remembered, dummie".

Yeah, he certainly did, the fact that his stomach was rolling at that moment was proof of that. But that wasn't what made his hair stand on end. It was what that implied.

"Who did that come from?" Josh asked, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer. "Did these visions, this feeling, come from Elliot or… Eli?"

"From both" Maive said honestly, the gleam of amusement in her eyes being replaced by one of sadness. "They are one now, Josh, what you saw was done by the two of them".

"No, fuck, no" He cursed as he shook his head and stood up, refusing to accept that Eli had done something like this. "He didn't do that, it was Elliot, he did it".

That was the only plausible explanation, of course, Eli might be different, but he wasn’t... wasn't a cannibal. It made sense that something like Elliot, who wasn't even human, could control his friend's body to feed on other humans. 

But Eli? No, he wouldn't agree with cold-blooded murder, even less with cannibalism. 

_ The proof of that was the fact that I'm still alive and with all the members of my body almost whole. _ Josh thought as he paced the room.

"That's your problem, dummie, you still think they aren't the same being" She snorted, walking towards him. "Elliot needs fresh flesh and human blood to survive, which means, consequently, so does Eli. You more than anyone should know that survival is sometimes not a matter of choice, but of necessity".

Yes, he certainly knew that. Josh had done a lot of shit to stay alive after the apocalypse, but he wasn't exactly proud or pleased about it.

"Really, Maive? He didn't seem to be doing it out of necessity" He complained pointing to the window as if it were in that direction that his friend was. "The feeling that came from him, that took over me, was pure sadistic satisfaction. Proud. Pleasure. As if Eli loved to devour those people".

He couldn't believe that the same person who felt it had rescued and taken care of him for almost a week. That wanted to be friends with him, to not be alone again, and protect him. 

"What if they deserved it? Did you ever think that maybe he chose these guys for some reason, killed them that way? And being really honest, can you blame him for that?" Maive replied looking less calm for the first time since he met her. "He's not human for a long time, so it's not exactly cannibalism. Just as you would eat a steak and like it, it also feels that way for him".

So did that mean they considered him and the daybreakers just that, food? That when he said he wanted to be friends with him, it was just their way of playing with the prey?  _ No, fuck no. _

Eli helped Josh when no one else could, and proved more than once that he really wanted it. It wasn’t fair for him to doubt him, even if the feeling of betrayal in the back of his mind said otherwise.

"Hey, Dummie, don’t go there” She turned his attention back to the present by snapping her fingers in front of his eyes with a concerned look, almost as if she knew exactly what kind of shit he was thinking.”It's just pure instinct, part of who they are, but still Eli, and even Elliot, in his own way, chose not to see you like that”.

“That’s why now the rest is up to you" Maive gave him a serious look, stopping in front of Josh and looking into his eyes. "You don't have to like, accept or forgive what they do. But you have to decide, what do you feel for him is enough for you to at least try to understand his side?"

"Is it enough for you to confront and talk to Eli about it without him becoming a monster to you?" She questioned, running her fingertips over Josh's cheek without really touching it. However, he swore he could still feel it on his skin.

"Think about it, Dummie, and don't break your first and most important rule again. Eli doesn't deserve this" Maive winked at him before walking away, passing him.

She wasn't wrong. Josh could hate as much as he wanted to know that Eli and Elliot were devouring humans, maybe even right now, but he couldn't really blame them. He personally saw how Mrs. Crumble was when they met. The way she was thirsty for a piece of him, how she seemed to need it as much as he did for food. 

_ It's the law of nature _ , his father told him,  _ you can't fight the food chain.  _ And yet, his biology teacher had done it for them all. _ Only she could still feed on other shit,  _ his mind recalled _ , unlike Eli and Elliot by what Maive said. _

It was true, and also explained that look that his friend gave him earlier. But he was alive. Eli didn't have to leave. He could have devoured Josh piece by piece and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

This should prove that no matter what his friend had become, he still had control over Elliot and that even the monster didn't really want to harm Josh. Mavis was right, like she always seemed to be.

He would have to talk to them. On the right time. When he was completely sure of that.

"Maive" Josh called out as he turned around, facing the door between open and she ready to go through it, but staring at him when she heard her name.

"Will we see each other again? Same time and place or something different?" He asked with a small smile, thinking that even if it was real or not, he still wanted to see her. 

"Maybe…" She shrugged and smirked, winking at him. "I will think about it". With that, she went through the door and closed behind her, leaving Josh alone in the room.

A few seconds passed when he just looked at the place she was in, but soon after, he couldn't help himself and went to the door, opening it and looking outside.

Josh analyzed the corridor, seeing only offices on both sides, an elevator at the end and an emergency exit as well. There was no one around. As if she had disappeared, leaving no traces.

But she had left. 

Quickly stepping back into the room, Josh closed the door and went over to the trash he had seen her throw the can. He took a deep breath and held out his hand, hesitating for a second before opening it.

Inside the trash was a can of soda, Coke, along with other things and boxes of medicine. He gave a sigh of relief and smiled, sitting in the massage chair. 

The can was there. She was real, she had to be. Josh thought, looking out the window and wondering how the hell he had become a magnet for madness.

* * *

The warm sensation of sunlight hitting his right cheek was what slowly brought his consciousness back. 

Josh yawned and blinked his eyelids as he was more awake, which made him notice the hand on his abdomen and a chest against his back.  _ What the fuck? _

He remembered very well having spent long and boring hours waiting for Eli and Elliot, but in the end, he lay in bed and ended up falling asleep against his will. 

And now, when Josh opened his eyes and turned his head, he saw Eli sleeping peacefully behind him and holding his torso against his body. 

His friend certainly didn't look threatening at all with his features relaxed and a few strands of his hair on his forehead. Josh could even say that he looked cute in addition to the fact that the feeling of being in Eli's arms was strangely comforting.

_ Shit, what's my problem?  _ Of course, he had thoughts like that for girls and some boys before, but still, Eli was his friend.  _ What the hell, Josh?  _ He questioned himself before trying to sit.

However, his body immediately froze the moment he felt the edges of claws through the fabric of his shirt on his abdomen at the same time a growl roared from his friend's chest.

This made his hair stand on end and his muscles tense, a conflict between his instincts that divided into trying to escape, to stand still or to calm down. 

The latter also came from the part of his mind that insisted that he wasn't in danger, that he had to understand that there was no threat. 

Well, the tips of fangs suddenly pressing on the back of his neck weren't exactly helping him do that. And the deep voice, that he would recognize anywhere, coming with it didn't either.

" **You're awake, aren't you** ?" Elliot said in a way quite creepy and threatening to him. 

"Good morning to you too. And if you already know then why the fuck did you ask, Elliot?" Josh snapped, and fine, it might not have been the best choice to do that, but he was scared and annoyed by the creature in that moment.

Luckily, his response seemed to amuse Elliot, who gave a cold laugh before saying. " **I felt it the moment it happened as well as when you discovered another interesting shit about us** ".

In that second, he realized what Maive meant about the mental connection between them. And oh, he was fucked.

Josh's reaction was immediately and completely guided by the panic that if Elliot was aware of what he knew, he wasn't totally safe, not without Eli in control. Then he struggled against the creature, wriggling to pull his neck away from the creature's mouth and using his hands to try to remove the other's arm around his belly.

But his effort was futile and only made Elliot react, too quickly and abruptly so that he could do something. 

Elliot intertwined his legs with Josh's, easily immobilizing his lower body.

While that, the creature moved his right hand under his shirt and pull his body further against his chest, passing his left arm under his collarbone and holding his throat in a way that he could break it at any time. 

Both in the tightness in his throat and in his abdomen, the sensation of Elliot's claws scratching his skin was present. 

This obligated him to arch his back and neck, pressing against the other and forcibly resting the head on his shoulder while his limbs trembled, his breath coming in between.

**"Shhh, relax, no need to be dramatic. I just want to talk"** Elliot whispered in his ear and rested the chin on his head, and Josh could feel the smirk on his face even though he couldn't see it.

"Oh, sure, I'll pretend to believe that. Was that crap you said before you devoured those guys while Eli decided how to end them?" He couldn't stop himself from asking that question, swallowing hard.

Maive had already given him an answer, and he trusted her word, but something in him needed to check with the monster.

**"Hahaha, don't lose your shit, Joshie, we are not going to kill you, it's a promise"** Elliot laughed darkly, saying his nickname and the last part in a mocking tone.  **"And by now, you should already know for sure that Eli made his decisions. We did each part together, as it will be going forward".**

Of course, he was already aware of that, but even so Elliot's words were as if a fucking bucket of cold water had been thrown in his face by one of his little cousins. Hard to handle but also expected.

_ If you already expected then don't let that change anything now, Eli is worth it, isn't him?  _ He scolded himself mentally, closing his eyes for a second to focus in what mattered.

"So does that mean he's watching everything you're doing, maybe even commanding it? Or did you trick him with this bullshit?" Josh risked questioning and snorting sarcastically, purposefully trying to move his neck against his grip to see what he would do.

**"You're a smart guy, Joshie... I like that"** Elliot said before holding his throat more firmly, but taking his chin off his head just to rub his cheek against his hair. 

An almost feline gesture, he would say, and too affectionate compared to what he did before, now acting as if he really cared. Josh didn't know whether he liked it or not.

**"That's why I'm not going to lie to you"** The monster continued, scraping one of his claws over his jugular while the affection continued. Weird.  **"Eli neither know what the hell is going on nor felt that you discovered our new diet. Only I'm aware of this, for a good reason".**

"Oh, I'm pleased, for sure" Josh said wryly, but still, he was doing everything he could to relax his muscles and get used to Elliot's touches. He needed information like that. "And what shitty reasons are those? To manipulate him?".

**"Why do you say that like it's a bad thing, Joshie? I know that for you humans, manipulating isn't something good, like a lot of fun things, but I'm just doing it to protect him. As I did and will continue to do"** Elliot replied and seemed to purr, his hand on his belly rising until it was over his diaphragm and his nails gently scratched the skin. 

It felt good, but not enough to make him let his guard down completely.

"This is bullshit! Who would you have to protect him from? Sam?" He asked, curiosity overcoming his fear for that moment. 

**"That cold bitch that I respect and hate? Oh, no, she is not a problem for us"** Elliot snorted, and as unlikely as it was, Josh could understand him. He could totally imagine Elliot and Sam as best friends who would kill anyone to get what they want, and if it got him a little horny, then it was probably just a consequence of that fucking mental bond.  **"I'm protecting him from you, Joshie, since you don't seem to understand how dangerous you can be to him".**

Okay, now that didn't make any sense. He was just a human who could easily be dominated by Elliot or Eli, as proved a few minutes ago.

"What do you mean? I cannot harm any of you, and I would never purposely hurt Eli again. Never" Josh snarled confidently, because it was true. He didn't have the ability to do anything against the monster, but with Eli, he wouldn't even want to.

**"No, Joshie, I don't think you can physically hurt us, it would be stupid if I did"** Elliot chuckled, stopping to rub his cheek in his hair and using the tightness in his throat to turn Josh's head to the side, making him face him. 

Those black eyes and sharp fangs that he remembered looking strange with the smile on his face, but also almost not so scary. 

**"I'm talking about emotions and feelings, you know, all that shit you make us have. What is so fucking annoying"** Elliot sighed dramatically, and if he could, he would have rolled his eyes at how much the creature looked like Eli in doing so.  **"What I mean is that if you act like an asshole when you get to talk to Eli about our diet, it won't end well. For both, you and him".**

"I may not like or accept what you do to survive, but I could never hate or hurt Eli because of it. He's still my friend, and unfortunately, you're part of him. So I won't act like that. Not again" He promised and clenched his teeth as he watched the smile leave Elliot's face and his expression turn serious.

There was the same protective anger as the day he met the creature burning in those eyes.

**"I think it's better that your actions show that when the time comes, Joshie. Because you see, Eli and I have a balance, one that I meticulously created and cultivated"** Elliot whispered and smirked,  **"And you are part of it now, wanting or not. That's why I can't let you destroy that balance".**

He didn't like Elliot's tone and the implication of his words, but he understood something. He wanted things to work out for all of them, even if it meant he needed to make some sacrifices for that to happen.

Like his fucking sanity and a little bit of his morality too.

"And how would you do that? I'm not quite ready for the conversation that Eli and we need to have, so what do you think I should do?" Josh questioned and growled, holding Elliot's wrist and facing the other completely fearlessly for the first time.

The creature stared at him for a few seconds, his look and expression unreadable. 

Still, somehow he felt pride, curiosity and possessiveness coming from the back of his mind and telling him that was what Elliot felt at that moment. Maybe he was already crazier than he thought.

**"It's actually pretty simple. You should have fun with Eli, create good memories"** Elliot replied calmly.  **"Doing shit that human friends usually do, like sharing hobbies and making a mess. Those things that will bring out your true feelings, Joshie, and luckily it may be what you lack to have this conversation".**

That... ridiculously made sense. They weren't friends before the apocalypse, and they never really had time to just have fun together after Eli's resurrection. 

He knew that the consideration of being friends was mutual, but there were no moments beyond that afternoon when he could remember and think immediately in their friendship.

But even so, since when did Elliot go from being a shitty psychotic and possessive monster to a wise and helpful one?

"Fuck, that is strangely smart. You are really weird, Elliot" Josh snorted and the creature smiled, too genuine for the sake of his bad conception of him. "Okay, now that we finally agree on something, could you please get the hell out of me?" He asked lightly, trying to keep from despair of letting go of Elliot's arms. 

Even if it wasn't that bad with how easily his body got used to the feeling of the hands restricting him and the claws on the skin. Although he would never admit it.

**“Of course, Eli is starting to wake up and will piss me off if he sees that I woke up before him. But first I have one last thing to tell you…”** Elliot said with a malicious smile, full of sharp fangs that sent chills up his spine. 

The creature bent over him and dragged the hand that was on his diaphragm to the waistband of the jeans, nails gently scratching his pelvis bone and the hand on his throat kept his face still as the other brought his face close to Josh's ear.

“Elliot, what the fuck are you doing?” He asked as composedly as he could in his current situation, trying not to panic.

“ **The next time we have a conversation, remember this”** Elliot whispered, taking him by surprise when he violently pressed his lips against his, causing their teeth to collide and his lip to break. 

His eyes widened and Josh, too shocked to understand what was happening or to react, could only let Elliot fiercely invade his mouth with his tongue and explore every part of it, not allowing him any second to breathe straight. The kiss was brutal as it should be expected, with the other taking over his mouth as if he wanted to consume him whole, sucking and biting his inner lip to get every drop of blood out of the wound there.

When he started to feel his lungs burning and his mind spinning for breath, Elliot pulled away and he gasped heavily, trying to recover. Looking at the other's face, he saw pure hunger and possessiveness as he licked his lips, a drop of Josh's blood coming back with his tongue.

**"Good boy, Joshie"** Elliot smirked and winked at him, slowly as a cat, loosening his neck and legs, and lying down behind him. As if nothing had happened.

Like he hadn't left Josh panting and with a knot of excitement in his stomach, which he would deny until his death, and questioning how the hell he got to this.

* * *

He went through their section towards the gate that separated them from their friend, past the stores and the daybreakers who were preparing for that night. Reaching his goal, Wesley soon saw KJ and Angelica finishing off Eli's trap system and his sexy boyfriend constantly watching to see if the other was around.

“Have you finished with this? I thought you said it would be a piece of cake, Angelica” He said calmly and crossed his arms when he got close to them, repenting when facing the two girls.

“If you want to try to disconnect a part of the water and electricity system of the mall, without causing a lack of water or a fucking blackout in any area of this crap then feel free to do it, Wes” She snarled as KJ gave him a deadly look.

“Okay, fine, I got it. I totally trust you two with this shit, take your time” Wesley raised his arms in surrender, smiling when he saw the smirk on Angelica's face and KJ rolling her eyes, knowing that despite all the pressure on them, they weren't really angry.

He would already be burned if that were the case.

Turning towards Turbo, he saw that his boyfriend had a small smile on his face and was waiting for him. “Hey, Turbo, how are the preparations going? Did the lookout guys say anything else?” He asked as he held the other's hand between his.

His boyfriend grunted and took a small slate with his other hand, where it was written that Eli left in the late afternoon and returned less than an hour ago, Josh hadn't been spotted yet. That sucked. His friend hadn't been seen alive in days and after seeing that thing, Wes could only hope they didn't find a corpse. 

He got rid of those thoughts when he felt Turbo's hand caressing his left cheek, who looked at him with affection and concern as if he wanted to comfort him. 

“Don't worry, buddy, I was just overthinking. Everything will be fine, let's make sure of it” He explained to his boyfriend and leaned over to his touch, smiling when the other kissed his forehead before going back to watch the gate.

Yes, they couldn't let any shit get in their way this time. Mr. Crumble would soon be back with their bait and he was sure the girls would finish in time, they were both geniuses.

Tonight they would bring Josh back or avenge his death, there were no other options.

* * *

Guys, please, comment you opinions and tell me what do you think of this chapter, any doubts or constructive criticism is good, I want to improve and make every chapter even better to you all, so do it if you can and to those that just don't want to, thanks for your support too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back, finally!😊 Sorry for making you wait for so long but I had a writer's block and couldn't figure out how to develop this chapter. But after thinking a lot about it, I decided to change the structure and the povs like you will see, and it was all intentional, so in the next two chapters the scenes can have a bigger impact. 
> 
> This chapter is also shorter, bc of what will happen in the next one, that I already warn you, it will be something that will change the dynamics of the characters😉. I know this chapter can seem a little chaotic just like the series😅 but I promise everything will fit and make sense in the near future, I really hope you all like it.
> 
> I also would love if any of my readers decided to help me and be my beta, I really need it, so if you would like to, just tell me😊.
> 
> Thank you all for the incredible support and for all the opinions shared with me (again, don't stop, please, bc it's really what makes me continue writing). I would appreciate more kudos and comments (can be constructive criticisms, compliments or doubts, just write it guys) the wait for your comments it's my life, and if you could, please no hate.
> 
> I would also like to say that I love all my readers, but if you are racist, I want to tell you to fuck off. Black lives matter, and if you think differently or come up with any excuse, I can't accept that because racism is not up for debate. For my poc readers, I want to say that I support you and hope that my fanfic is a safe place for you too, so if I am offensive at any time, let me know. Hope you stay safe and healthy during this tough weeks!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 8

Eli's pov

He felt himself start to wake up with the sensation of the warm body against his chest pulling away, his arm falling on the mattress because of it. But that wasn't what made his consciousness come back completely.

It was the almost imperceptible blood's smell, that seemed to be fading, getting to his nose. Josh's blood.

Fuck. Eli blinked and opened his eyes, then saw Josh turning away from him and rummaging through the medical supplies.

"Joshie? What the fuck are you doing?" He asked as he sat down, causing his friend to freeze. _Well shit_ , Eli snorted in amusement, forgetting for a second why he had woken up with how much Josh looked like him as a child, just when his mom caught him stealing cookies from a jar.

Good times, that he never thought he would miss.

"I'm looking for... some stuff... for my shoulder. I'll be right back," Josh said casually, picking up alcohol and cotton and walking to the bathroom still with his back to Eli. 

Suspicious, really suspicious. Eli stood up and walked faster than Josh could notice, stopping right behind him and holding his friend's upper arm to prevent him from continuing, he whispered playfully in his ear "Where do you think you're going?"

And yes, he was aware of the fucking scare he would give to Josh, but it would be fun.

"Dammit, Eli! What the hell?!"Josh winced and turned to him, his expression changing from irritation to shock in a few seconds before he dropped the supplies on the floor. 

"What is it, idiot? You look like you saw a ghost," Eli provoked with a smirk on his face, which slowly disappeared as he felt his friend's nervousness and apprehension appear through their bond. 

"Joshie, what's wrong?" He asked worriedly, taking a step closer to Josh.

"Nothing. There's nothing wrong" Josh snorted, clearly lying but continued. "But by any chance, is there something on my mouth? And aren't you mad or anything like that?"

What the fuck was his friend talking about? There was nothing new on his mouth or face, maybe he was more flushed, what was quite pretty, but it didn't explain the smell of blood.

"No, I'm not, why? Should there be something on your mouth, dumbass?" Eli teased and tried to find out what the fuck was going on, analyzing Josh's heartbeat and bond to see if he would lie again. 

After all, Josh might not have much reason to lie or omit something, like Eli, but a lot of shit can happen in a few hours. He, more than anyone, knew this very well.

"So, there's... nothing?" Josh asked himself, placing the fingertips of his free hand on his bottom lip and frowning in confusion. Okay, things were starting to get a lot stranger than usual. 

"Joshie, are you high? Because I forgot to warn you, but some of these drugs are potent as fuck" Eli said with a small smile but in a serious tone, trying to feel if there was a smell of substances on his friend's brain. 

Yes, he had drugged his friend, but for a good reason, okay? It wasn't like he wanted Josh to become a fucking addict.

"Really, Eli? No, I'm not high" Josh complained indignantly, taking his fingers from his lip and looking at them for a few seconds.

Eli couldn't help but internally sigh with relief that he didn't feel any lies through the bond, but frowning when Josh suddenly changed the subject.

"I'm just ... spending a lot of time in this room and it's fucking with my head" His friend gave a lame excuse as he shrugged and walked away, opening the mini-fridge and taking two bottles of water before turning around. 

Well, maybe it wasn't really an excuse, after all, staying there so long shouldn't be very healthy. But even so, his instincts told him it wasn't it. Something had happened before he woke up, he felt it.

"And it's all your fault, dick, you freaked out and left me here. That's not really cool, you know" Josh stated but he didn't look really angry, just bothered and something else Eli couldn't read in his expression.

Josh couldn't know about last night. Right? No, it was impossible. 

"But I can forgive you for that…" Josh said in a smug tone but Eli swore that his eyes looked very much like a puppy asking for something, one that knew he would get that shit, "If maybe we could, I don't know, have some fun out of here".

"Hahaha, that's a great one," Eli started to laugh, the only reaction he could show at that moment because his friend could only be kidding. 

"Are you out of your fucking mind, Joshie? I tell you that going out is dangerous and you want to do it to have a good time?" He asked confused and indignant, because it wasn't possible that his friend was dumber than he looked. 

"I'm serious, asshole. I know how dangerous it is, but it's not like we need to go beyond the parking lot," Josh argued and placed the bottle on top of the fridge, approaching him. 

"I want to have fun with you, Eli, no one else. I know that neither you nor Elliot are going to let anything happen to me" His friend admitted looking exasperated as Eli's mind filled with the satisfaction of being who Josh wanted to spend time with now. 

Take it, suckers.

Well, on the one hand doing something Josh wanted and relaxing a little wouldn't be too bad, but on the other hand, Josh's friends or even Sam could try something. Not to mention the shitty ghoulies that would probably appear, and he would have to deal with them. 

No, Eli couldn't risk it with his friend. 

**Stop being a fucking pussy, Eli, it's making you more annoying than usual**. Elliot grunted in his mind, deciding to show up just to piss him off as always. 

_Oh, did you finally decide to wake up, Elliot? Well, go back to sleep, that's none of your business._ He said without patience for it at that moment. 

**Yeah, that's my business, idiot, Josh is mine too, remember it?** Elliot asked rhetorically, making Eli roll his eyes mentally. **And, we're going to do that. Let's get Josh out.**

_You, the same monster that wanted to keep Josh here until he developed a fucking Stockholm Syndrome, want to take him for a walk? It can only be a fucking joke._ Eli said acidly, tired of his counterpart playing with him. Just because they were one now, it wasn't like he had to put up with Elliot's bullshit.

**Actually, that's exactly what it means. And it's not like you're easy to deal with, either, Eli.** Elliot complained, but then seemed to remember why they were arguing. 

**But getting back to what really matters, we have to let Josh have some fun, dumbass. He's going to be bored here and even more worried about his friends, but if you two spend time together outside, when we get back our Joshie will be more relaxed. More accessible, and perhaps ready for a very complicated conversation.** His counterpart explained it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and Eli was a stubborn child. 

Arrogant bastard. But one that was right. 

He wouldn't let go of the fact that Josh was lying to him and the feeling that something had happened while he was sleeping, but he had to get his priorities straight.

He wasn't sure if Josh didn't remember the conversation they had to have, or by his weird behavior, he was pretending that he didn't for some reason. But either way, it would be stupid to think that he could hide his new diet from his friend much longer.

So despite the high risk, he had enough power to eliminate anyone who tried to do anything against them.

And honestly, it was difficult to say no to Josh when he had that puppy look, and consequently, lose the opportunity to have something like that afternoon with his friend again. 

It was one of his best memories, that he would never forget.

"Fuck. Fine, a few hours out won't hurt" Eli sighed and rolled his eyes, gasping in surprise when Josh suddenly hugged him, whispering "Thanks, idiot" in his ear. He didn't quite know how to react, but he couldn't help but smile lightly.

"But you know, if you had said no I could have considered just running away" Josh pulled away and shrugged as he smirked proudly, reaching for his bottle and opening it, he took a sip. 

"Hmm, yes, for sure, and I'm going to pretend that I believe you could do that shit" Eli snorted in amusement, taking a sip of his own bottle and pointing at his friend seriously. 

"But if we're going out, then there will be rules, Joshie" He closed his bottle and warned with a raised eyebrow, trying to imitate the expression his mother had when she took him to the mall.

**You're looking fucking ridiculous and not at all like her, dick.** Elliot commented mockingly. 

_Shut up, asshole._ Eli scolded sullenly, mentally sighing at his counterpart's laughter.

"Okay, okay, just spit it out, Eli" Josh said impatiently, his excitement could clearly be felt through bond. It was a good shit to be able to feel it, to know that he was the source of it all. 

Well, his ego would surely be more inflated when they returned.

"First rule: We just go until the parking lot, and at any sign of a group of ghoulies or Sam and her jocks, we enter" Eli started, watching Josh almost imperceptibly wince at the mention of his ex and continuing. "Second: No reunion with the suckers, Joshie. That isn't debatable".

He expected Josh to complain and argue with him after the last sentence, but his friend just sighed and stared at his bottle, his scent changing a little to sadness.

"I get it. It's the best for them, I've already caused a lot of problems" His friend started bitterly, "But at least on the way back, could you, I don't know, check them out?" Josh asked and bit his lower lip, the stench of guilt and worry exuding from him in a way that Eli didn't even have to look through their bond how bad it was.

"Of course, the things I do for you, Joshie" Eli gave a false sigh and saw his friend smile slightly, knowing it would be worth the trouble. "Now, do you want to just wander around, have another party or what?"

"None of these options, asshole" Josh started with an expression that told him that his friend was up to some shit as he stood up.

"We are going to skate!" Josh put his hands on his shoulders and grinned. "And I'm going to teach you, Eli".

* * *

"I'm done, Wes!" Angelica said loudly to her friend as she stood up, smirking and wishing KJ was there. Before Josh was kidnapped, twice, they weren't exactly fans of each other but after they got together to break that trap, things changed. 

She found that they had more in common than she thought, including the way they cared about Josh, even though he had the gift of being a dickhead at times.

And after almost a week of working together, they had completely disarmed Eli's trap system, but KJ had to leave to help the dumb teenagers to prepare to Josh's rescue. As soon as the idiot returned, she would need to make fun of him for being a helpless princess, twice.

Now, Angelica had just finished to fuck up with the gate system and they were ready for action. It would be nice to finally blow some shit up or burn a specific person. 

Angelica was not demanding.

"I knew you would make it" Wes said with a smile on his face and walked over to them with Turbo by his side, looking like a big guard dog as usual.

"You better, Wes. Me and KJ are much smarter than Eli" Angelica snorted without humor, the mention of the asshole's name making them all visibly wince.

Except her, or at least not that she was going to admit it. Angelica thought she had seen it all after the damn apocalypse, but that thing, the monster that the annoying idiot became, gave her the creeps until that moment.

Although that wasn't what would stop her either. She was going to burn that fucking creature to the bone to bring Josh back.

"Okay, Mrs. Crumble's luring our bait here for what the guys said…" Wes started when he noticed the tension in the air, sighing as he looked at the gate, "Now we just need to find the right time to attack".

"We could just open up this shit and use the old element of surprise, you know" Angelica shrugged and suggested as she had done before, maybe a lot of times. 

"And you know we can't risk it like the last time, Angelica, and I shouldn't be the voice of reason again," Wes explained exasperatedly, and then his crazy boyfriend took one of his little plates and showed it to her with a grunt. 'Too dangerous, shorty' 

"Hmm, that's not what you seemed to think when you attacked us and hurt Wes, stupid jock," She provoked acidly and faced Turbo, still not really liking him. 

She was glad because Wes was happy with the ignorant idiot, but if he hurt Wes again, she wouldn't hesitate to turn him to ashes. 

Turbo snarled at the provocation, causing Angelica to quickly show her tongue and middle finger at him, which only made him angrier and growl at her.

"Guys, c'mon. This is truly a shitty time for it" Wes walked in between them and put one hand on Turbo's chest and the other on Angelica's shoulder, who snorted angrily and gave her friend's boyfriend an "It isn't over yet" look. 

Wes rolled his eyes but when he was about to say something, one of the common teenagers Angelica never remembered the name came running towards them. 

He was skinny and short, with a face of someone that shouldn't be very popular at school and skipped physical education classes, which was clear when he stopped and rested his hands on his knees, catching his breath. 

But it was what they were after all, a group of weirdos, and she was remembering herself to not scare the shit out of the boy so that he finally said something.

"Eli... he…" The boy gasped and pointed behind him. "He's with Josh. Outside, at the parking lot," He announced breathless, causing them to freeze in shock for some seconds.

The first to recover was Wes, who immediately went over to the boy and took him by the shoulders, while Angelica was suspicious and Turbo seemed too lost to do anything. 

"Are you fucking sure? One hundred percent sure that you saw Eli and Josh?" Wes asked desperately, making the boy nod before answering. "Yes, yes, we saw them, I'm sure". 

Josh was alive. They always kept the hope that he was, because the asshole couldn't die like that, he couldn't leave them, but now they had confirmation. Angelica sighed with relief and saw Wes looking at her, the two of them smiling together. 

"Turbo, baby, I need you to help KJ prepare everything, okay? I'll be right back" Wes walked away from the boy and went to Turbo, kissing his lips quickly. This time it was Angelica's turn to roll her eyes at how the watchdog looked like a puppy when he grunted softly in response.

Gosh, they were so horribly cute, and she couldn't help but internally grin because of that. But with her anxiety and excitement growing, she started running towards the stairs to the terrace, where the watchers were. 

"C'mon, Wes!" Angelica shouted as she went up the stairs, knowing her friend was right behind her. Abruptly opening the metal door, she looked around and quickly located the watchers in charge of observing the parking lot on Eli's side.

There were two girls and a boy, slightly younger than Angelica, who had been there since Eli fooled them. Walking quickly over to them with Wes by her side, she was too desperate and eager to order one of the binoculars, simply taking one of them.

She looked through the lens of the binoculars and sought for Josh. She found him, but she saw something she didn’t expect from Eli, even if they didn’t even know if he was still inside that creature. 

Angelica would kill that monster in the most painful way she knew. 

* * *

It started well. It really did. But he knew it was a bad idea. Eli knew it. And because he didn't listen to himself, they were in that shitty situation. 

They could hear their Josh shouting for them to stop, for everyone to fucking stop, please, but it was as if their head was underwater. Their blood roared in their ears and all they were able to think about was the urge to tear, hurt and kill to keep what belonged to them. 

Their bodies moved like a machine, defending themselves as they threw Wesley and Turbo against the wall of the mall, then grabbing Angelica and KJ by their throats and choking them in the air. 

Mrs. Crumble jumped on their backs with her nails already scratching their shoulders and chest and then they felt her teeth digging into the back of their neck, blood spilling from the big wound and entering the teacher's body. 

They didn't even have to do anything, because soon afterwards Mrs. Crumble fell off their backs and they could hear the sounds of her choking and vomiting their blood. 

They were blinded by instincts and emotions, about to cross a line, Eli knew that too. But he couldn't stop them. He probably didn't even want to, even if he was going to regret it later. 

And when he saw life start to leave the eyes of the two girls, all he could feel was the satisfaction of victory.

* * *

Guys, please, comment you opinions and tell me what do you think of this chapter, any doubts or constructive criticism is good. Iwant to improve and make every chapter even better to you all, so do it if you can and to those that just don't want to, thanks for your support too. There is an explanation in the beginning of this chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy my dear readers!! I know, you want to kill me lol me too, but I had a tough block writer for like, six months, and my study amd work killed me for four of this months so I truly couldn't write this chapter as fast I should.
> 
> I'm sorry, and hope you can forgive me for this. But I promise I won't drop this story, lately I'm not really interested in it anymore, but I still love the characters, their relationships and mainly you all, so I will finish this.
> 
> I had the help of one of my readers, she is an amazing person and deserves some love too, so pleade give her that love.
> 
> I would like to thank you all for all the kudos and the comments, you're totally amazing, guys! And as usual, I would appreciate more kudos and comments (can be constructive criticisms, compliments, or doubts) bc honestly, I wait for them anxiously even with a email box that is always full lol, but please no hate.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Netflix.

Chapter 9

Josh's pov

He didn't know how they got there. 

It all happened too fast, too fast for him, even at that moment, to get why this was happening. Maybe Josh knew, deep down he felt he should have predicted that no matter how well it started, shit was going to hit the fan. 

* * *

Things were going well.

He was loving it.

The sensation of the win hitting his face as he slid on his skateboard across the parking lot. 

He propelled the skateboard with his right leg and smiled brightly, soon hearing a provocative shout from his friend. "Be careful not to fall, Joshie, you may be rusty".

He glanced at Eli and flipped him off, seeing him giving his usual mocking giggle, but his expression was also affectionate.

Josh couldn't help but smile, breathing deeply. He felt in the clouds. He didn't have to worry about mutant animals or ghoulies around. Eli, or maybe Elliot, would feel them before he reached them. It was almost as if the Apocalypse hadn't happened and he was just another dumb teenager having a good time.

Almost. 

Because the idea of normal disappeared as he slid towards Eli, who was sitting on a cheesy beach chair wearing sunglasses and drinking a can of soda as if he were on vacation. 

Yeah, only an idiot with a murderous and perverted creature inside him would create such a ridiculous and comical scene during the fucking Apocalypse. Fuck, and even then, he cared about the asshole.

"Your turn, idiot" Josh said with a smirk as soon as he stopped in front of him and took his skateboard in his hand. Even though the conversation they would have after certainly wouldn't go well, at least he would have some good laughs at the price of his friend's pride. 

It was fair in his opinion.

"No, no, no, no, Joshie" Eli snorted and smiled, standing up and reminding Josh how much he wasn't used to the fact that his friend was no longer the skinny little guy he used to be. 

It gave him chills, for fear and for something else he still couldn't quite identify.

"You said you're going to teach me how to skateboard, and you did, dick. I watched you, and now I'm a master at it. Let's go before the suckers realize you're here" Eli raised his eyebrows and pat his shoulder before he turned, but Josh grabbed his right wrist, making him look back at him with an exasperated look and roll his eyes.

"Well then, if you learned so well, show it. After all, t's impossible that these new powers of yours cannot help you to do something so simple, right?" Josh teased and released his friend's wrist, crossing his arms. "I bet Elliot agrees with me".

Or at least he hoped so.

For a second it looked like Eli was going to say something sarcastic in response, but then his expression became arrogant and he shrugged. 

"Okay, maybe the idiot agrees with you. But I'm doing this because I want to, I'm not falling for your tricks again, Joshie" He smirked and Josh rolled his eyes but couldn't help giving a small smile as he reached out and gave the skateboard to Eli, who took it confidently and winked at him before throwing his glasses to him.

Douchebag.

What happened next was a complete disaster, but a fun one. Josh giggled softly as Eli tried to get on his skateboard without falling, pretending he wasn't when Eli glared at him. 

But he started to laugh openly when his friend tried to push his leg, lost his balance and almost fell, but luckily, or not so much for him, he stayed on the skateboard long enough to slip on it and fall on his butt.

"I'm going to kill you, Elliot, as soon as I figure out how!" Josh heard Eli sigh and slowly approached where he was lying on his back, giggling happily. He stopped beside his friend's head with a shitty smile on his face as he bent and rested his hands on his knee. 

"So... I thought you had become the expert on skateboarding, or did your powers leave you in the dark?" Josh couldn't help but provoke, but when he saw Eli open his eyes with a menacing glow and a smirk appeared on his face it was too late. 

Josh wasn't able to react with anything more than a gasp when hands grabbed his shoulders and a foot came in contact with his stomach, turning him in the air and causing him to fall on his back next to Eli, who climbed on top of him and sat on his hip. 

"Gotcha ya, idiot" Eli scoffed with a low, arrogant laugh. Oh, Josh wouldn't let it lie. Josh ignored the pain in his back and jumped on top of his friend, rolling with him on the asphalt while the two laughed until he was on top of Eli and his hands pressed his shoulders to the floor. 

  
  


"I thought you were the strongest now, asshole. What happened to all those powers of yours?" Josh asked arrogantly, letting out a gasp of surprise when Eli quickly turned them over, riding on his waist and holding his arms on boths sides of his head.

"Well, dick, what were you saying?" Eli raised an eyebrow, the smirk on his face growing as his hair fell on his face and he breathed deeply. Josh tried to push him away but when he realized he couldn't, he snorted, unable to get scared when he felt his heart warm. 

Even though a part of his mind reminded him that the boy on top of him had killed and eaten people just some hours ago, in cold blood, he just couldn't be scared like he was when Elliot held him.

This was Eli. They could be one, but he was still the boy that pissed Josh off for months and made him cry when he died.

And he missed that, those games, that familiarity, that was what made him change his mind that afternoon, realize how much he cared about the idiot.

Josh was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't realize how close their faces were until he felt Eli's lips on his. His eyes widened and for a moment he froze, because besides being kissed by a perverted creature, now it was his friend. 

But Josh liked it, and it scared him more than when Elliot did the same. 

"What the fuck are you doing, Eli?" Josh questioned angrily as soon as his mouths were separated. 

"Chill, Joshie, I just thought... it's stupid, my bad" His friend said and snorted with what should be fun but the hurt look in his eyes and his tone were bitter. 

Fuck, we was too harsh. And an asshole, which made it probably the fifth time he broke his main rule. Mavis would kill him.

Josh felt a twinge of pain in his heart when his friend let go of his arms and was going to get off him, but he grabbed his arm to prevent him from doing that. 

"No, shit... I mean, we have to talk, dick. For real" Josh sighed, knowing this wasn't going to be easy. Well, as long as Eli didn't freak out and eat him, you would be a great result. 

"We are, idiot, but I have what to do, like to escort you inside. so spit it out" Eli scoffed and shrugged, clearly hiding his emotions behind his humor. He knew this because he did the same, and anyone who didn't, probably didn't have a good copying mechanism.

"Look, I-" Josh started but before he could continue, Eli's hand covered his mouth and the other held the back of his neck so he wouldn't move as his friends' eyes went black. 

He breathed in quickly, trying to push Eli's chest but stopping when he heard Elliot's voice, freezing. 

"Ghoulies. A lot of them" The creature explained and sniffed the air deeply, his eyes closing for a moment before they opened and he growled, his fangs too close. 

"And hungry. Fucking stupid worms" Elliot grunted and looked him in the eye, whispering. "Enter the main entrance and stay on our side of the mall, Joshie, we handle this". 

Elliot released him but soon put his hands on his arms and he pulled him up, but Josh didn't move. He looked around, breathing quickly and feeling his heart race, a thousand thoughts running through his head, especially those that involved his concern for Eli. 

He couldn't leave him behind, not again.

"Wait, you can come in with me" He said and hesitantly placed one of his hands on Elliot's shoulder, watching him smirk and a tender, mocking expression appear on his face. 

"Aww, idiot, you're a cute one. But we're superior to those piece of shit, it will be easy," Elliot snorted and took Josh's hand off his shoulder, patting his chest lightly and pushing him back.

"Go, and if you're not there when we get back, we're going to kill your little friends" Elliot threatened darkly and Josh shuddered, slowly backing away as he was told and running towards the entrance. 

He was being a coward, he knew that. But he had also seen what Eli and Elliot were capable of, they didn't die, or at least they shouldn't be able to, right?

He had to trust them and wait, maybe on the terrace where he could watch them. And in case something went wrong, he wouldn't think twice about taking chances to help Eli, people-eater or not, he was his friend. 

Maybe something more, but that didn't matter now.

Josh thought as he removed the things piled up at the entrance and entered the mall, putting everything back before going through the revolving door. 

He just had to make sure he stayed on that side of the mall, as much as he wanted to see his friends and know how they were doing, he couldn't risk it killing them. Josh walked through the center of the section, not expecting to see Angelica, Wes, Turbo and KJ waiting for him, a big smile forming on his lips involuntarily. 

"Guys?!" He asked, confused and relieved, but not prepared to see Angelica shout his name and run towards him. She jumped on him, hugging his torso and making Josh do the same to prevent her from falling. 

"I missed you, idiot" Angelica whispered in his ear and Josh gave a small smile, allowing himself to relax and rest his chin on her shoulder, hugging her tightly. "Me too, Angelica," He said and saw Wes walking with Turbo right behind him and KJ beside him, both with a grin on his face, less the scary jock.

He didn't deserve all of that, even less them. It was all his fault, but he was going to accept what they were giving him. 

"What's up, Josh? I would hug you too, but Turbo is still not exactly used to the concept that we can be friends without you fucking me, and I don't want him to kill you now that we know you're alive" Wes teased and patted Turbo on the shoulder, who snarled and hugged Wes from behind possessively, making his friend roll his eyes. 

Yeah, some things don't change.

"It's okay, Wes, I also prefer to keep all my limbs intact" Josh snorted, taking his hand with the mannequin finger from Angelica's back to greet Wes with a punch.

"Get off him, Gremlin" Wes said to Angelica, who released Josh and showed the middle finger to the samurai, "Fuck you, Wes, I do what I want" and quickly sticking her tongue at him.

He giggled and gave his friends a small smile. He missed it. He looked at KJ, who was holding her stake board and had an unreadable expression in her face, as usual 

He sighed before saying what he should have said before. "I'm sorry, KJ… I know we talked that day, but… I'm sorry. For everything".

Josh wanted to say more, to say that he was sorry for hurting her, for being an asshole with someone as incredible as her and not being who she deserved. But he didn't have to, because KJ stared at him coldly for a few moments, causing him to start to get nervous until he saw her lips slightly curve upwards.

"It's forgiven, asshole, just stop being a sucker and we're cool" She smirked and held out her hand, a gesture of peace and forgiveness. Even though he didn't deserve it, he shook her hand and felt that he had the pleasure of calling her a friend again.

"That's too sweet, but we've to fucking go, Josh. That monster will be back soon and we need to get you out of here before it hurts you more" Angelica snarled, her eyes shining with that manic rage Josh was used to, "And then burn it!"

She pulled him by the elbow, stronger than a person her size should have. Or maybe he was weaker. 

But wait, what monster? Was she talking about Eli and Elliot? But they hadn't hurt Josh. Okay, maybe Elliot did a little, but he killed them! Why did she want to burn them?! 

"No!" Josh shouted and stopped, pulling his arm out of Angelica's grip. "What the fuck? What are you talking about, Angelica?".

"What do you mean, dumbass? He fucking kidnapped you, Josh. Don't you know that Eli has become a monster? What kind of bullshit did he tell you to trick you?" She questioned furiously, looking at him with a concerned and suspicious look. 

"No, he took me because he was worried that Sam would hurt me," Josh explained desperately, trying to make her understand. And I know about the creature inside Eli, his name is Elliot-"

"Elliot?! Does that thing have a name? Seriously, Josh, how could you have become even more stupid than before? He's lying, he's fucking with your mind" Angelica shouted and Josh took a step back, looking between her and the others. 

"Do you agree with her? That I'm confused and I don't know what the fuck I'm doing?! That I don't know the boy who died for me?" Josh whispered the last part, his expression contorted in disbelief and pain. 

KJ simply shrugged and said "I'm with her. The possibility of you being manipulated is high, like Sam proved".

That hurt, even more because it wasn't a lie.

Wes rolled his eyes and sighed, looking at him with pity and concern, "Look, Josh, it's not like that. But... if you saw what Eli is now and seems to be unbothered by it, even after what he did to you. Something is wrong".

"What do you mean what he did to me?" Josh asked confused, not knowing what they were talking about if they hadn't even seen us the past few days. Or weeks? 

"We saw it, dude, you don't have to pretend with us" Wes said understandingly, breaking free of Turbo's embrace and placing a hand on his shoulder, a comforting squeeze. 

"I still don't know what the hell you're talking about, I'm not pretending anything" He sighed and looked between the faces of all of them, trying to find out what they were implying. 

"We saw him harass you, Josh, in the parking lot. That's why we choose to act now" Angelica said, anger dripping from her voice. 

Josh couldn't help but blush and snorted, embarrassing and fun taking over him. 

"Harassment? Guys, Eli didn't harass me. He kissed me, and even though I was taken by surprise, that doesn't mean I didn't like it" Josh explained with a small smile, but still embarrassed to admit it. 

Not that he was ashamed to be bi or thought they would mock him, but because thinking about Eli like that was... complicated. 

"Wait, but you pushed him away…" Wes affirmed, but more insecure than he was before.

"I just pushed him away because we needed to talk about something important. But I still liked it, okay? Eli isn't fooling me" Josh said and put his hand on Wes's arm, smiling reassuringly. 

He just wanted his friends to get along, even though the last time it didn't end well with Sam. 

"No, no, Josh. That thing is not Eli! Mrs. Crumble told us, Eli is no longer there" Angelica cried out in exasperation, taking Wes's hand off his shoulder and facing him. "That's not him, okay? We have to take you out of here and kill it. Just hear me for once, Josh".

No, she wasn't listening to him, Eli was there. He and Elliot were one, but that didn't mean his friend was gone. He would know, of course he would. Right?

"Anglica, you're wrong, Mrs. Crumble's wrong. I talked to him, I even kissed him, I know the difference between Eli and Elliot, and he is there" Josh tried to make her understand, but then he realized something. Looking around, he looked back at Angelica with suspicion. "Wait, where is she? Where's Mrs. Crumble?".

They were all silent, except Turbo who snarled and looked toward what was behind Josh, the main entrance. He started to organize his thoughts, noticing what he didn't have before. 

"How did you get in here? Eli said you couldn't, but the ghoulies showed up... and you are here" He pointed out, putting his hands on his head before shouting out of despair, "Where's Mrs Crumble?!".

"She's out there!" Angelica shouted back, her fists clenched. "She lured the ghoulies here, to distract Eli and allow us to come and save you, idiot. She took a risk and we worked day and night to break that monster's trap. For you, Josh".

She stared at him with tears in her eyes, her expression hurt as it had when he'd hurt her before. Josh looked at KJ and she also looked angry, squeezing the edge of her skateboard tightly while Wes had a sad look in his eyes.

He hated it. To hurt them again. But they wanted to hurt Eli, and he couldn't allow it. He couldn't allow Elliot to hurt them either, he had to come back for his friend.

"You shouldn't have done that. Not for me. I'm not worth it" Josh said bitterly, with a small melancholy smile. 

"It's better this way" He looked at them all one last time and turned, walking towards the entrance, sighing. 

Until he suddenly felt a deep pain in the back of his head caused by the impact of something on it, falling on his hands and knees. Josh gasped and clenched his teeth, feeling his ears ring and his head spin. 

He took the fingers of his hand without the mannequin finger to the back of his head and passed through it, feeling something liquid and warm, and bringing his hand back, he saw it was blood through his blurred vision.

"What ...?" Josh asked confused and turned his head, seeing KJ holding her skateboard with both hands and blood on the edge of it. 

His blood. 

"You…" He was about to ask what the hell she was doing when he just felt another blow, this time on his forehead. Josh fell on his side with the force of the impact, feeling his vision start to darken and his consciousness disappear. 

But not before listening, "I'm sorry, Josh, but you're too dumb to take decisions sometimes", from KJ.

Hmm, he really did have crazy friends.

  
  


  
  



End file.
